An Unholy Angel: A Vixen Walking the Line
by JyrFalcon345
Summary: Beginning editing and revision process, moving from chapter to chapter.
1. Descent into Chaos

The Job

Version As of 8/23/2007

The smell was the first thing she noticed. Not the shrieks of pain and fear, the listless humming of the air scrubbers or the oppressive heat that wrapped around her naked body like a glove. No, it was always the overpowering stench that assaulted her first, the smell of cheap perfume and foundation, of sweat and unwashed bodies, of bad food and ethanol, and worst of all…the smell of the males.

She jumped as a hand tightened around her wrist, leathery skin catching painfully on her sweat soaked fur, grinding in the collective dirt of untold anonymous encounters. She couldn't recall the last time she'd seen soap or water. The hand pulled upward yanking her from the tiled floor with brute strength.

"No… can't… need time to rest…._please…" _ Her pleas fell upon deaf ears and as she was dragged - head slamming against the tiled floor with a sickening crack; and a long mindless sorrowful wail rose up around her. Momentarily she wondered where it was coming from…and then with horror she realized that it was emanating from her own throat the sound trailing off as her mind sank into the dark abyss of unconsciousness.

The harsh tones of reality flared around Clarissa as the white vixen snapped out of the flashback-just in time to suffer through a burst of foul breath from a passing dachshund. She coughed violently and turned away from the noxious canid, focusing her attention on the entrance to the nightclub. Clarissa cursed angrily, and wondered for the third time what infernal rule required her contract managers to be late-incessantly. Another burst of loud rap music blared from the overtaxed speakers, and the vixen mentally cringed; they had played this song twice already.

Clarissa hated nightclubs with a passion. The loud noise, the press of bodies…the dancers; scantily clad foxes or felines who danced the same sad routines as the male patrons watched with vapid fascination. The paint was peeling from the ceiling, the drinks probably watered down to such an extent that Clarissa could have probably gotten more intoxicated drinking tap water than the club's meager fare.

The only reason that the place had such a high body count now was probably because it was the only nightclub open on the station. _ No real need to have quality service when you're the only one in business. _ Clarissa checked the door once again, and saw it swing open on rusty hinges to admit a few more already rowdy patrons and clang shut, with a deep sonorous gong that made her ears ache.

The vixen was dressed in common mercenary attire: desert camouflage Earth Style BDU with steel toed combat boots; a series of small rings followed the upper edge of her right ear, the only jewelry she wore. Consequently she was very out of place in the nightclub, as almost all of the patrons were 'dressed to impress'. She had received a few odd looks and comments when she'd come in, but one glance at her piercing gaze had served to silence any smart comments immediately.

Clarissa reached into her pocket and withdrew a small bottle of water; she trusted the plumbing of the station about as much as she'd trusted some of her teammates on previous missions. Just as she raised the bottle to her lips, the first pearl of water trembling at it's opening, jewel like, she heard a voice behind her:

"Well at least you attempt to make yourself noticeable."

Clarissa hid her surprise well, finishing her motion smoothly, taking a sip of water before turning around to confront the speaker. The speaker, smelling of cologne and synth-wine was a lizard, dressed in a zoot-suit of all things. The anole had a calico cat hanging onto his left arm, a blaster pistol hung at his hip. Clarissa noted the length of the barrel and hazarded a guess. "That a Kevorkian G-76?" The lizard smiled thinly, showing gel capped teeth. "You obviously recognize quality firearms." Clarissa nodded, mentally quipping, _And I also recognize a status symbol when I see one. Doubt he could hit the side of a barn though. Or that he really is that well endowed. _

The anole pulled up a seat at Clarissa's table and ordered a bottle of sherry from the service droid which hovered into view. While they waited for the drinks, the lizard began. "I've seen your record Clarissa, and frankly I'm impressed. You've preformed several assassinations, done defensive duty for the T-Axis group, and all manner of other things."

Clarissa felt her temper slowly rise; she disliked it when others discussed her military records in detail, _especially in crowded rooms. _She'd already seen a few patrons begin looking at her more intently then usual, and at the moment, in her present mood the last thing she wanted to do was to have to incapacitate some up in coming merc-wannabe, who saw a bounty and thought he could bag her.

Her mind flickered back to the lizard's spiel: "However in this system, the records of previous deeds aren't worth day old shit. You'll have to work your way up; just like everyone else who's had to come to this station." Clarissa's eyes narrowed slightly and she said,

"I was told that the contracts would be worth my while. Are you telling me that my records aren't worth anything?!"

The anole smiled an oily smile and said, "In my eyes they aren't worth the paper they're printed on." Clarissa's jaw twitched and she prepared herself to rise; there had to be other individuals on this station who'd offer her contracts, individuals who didn't walk around expecting people to capitulate to their needs. The lizard sighed patiently and turned to the vixen, looking her full in the face. Clarissa halted in mid stride and turned to face him. "I'm the only person on this station who'll pay in non counterfeit credits, everybody on this station has a printing press somewhere, and unless you wanna get frisked by the authorities every time you make a purchase you'll work with me. That's my offer: take it or leave it."

Clarissa knew that she'd have to get cash soon, she was already eating into her own accounts and the only way she'd be able to get information about the station was through contacts like the scum ball lizard who was sitting across from her, grinning broadly because he knew just how strapped for cash she was.

Clarissa sat down and took a swig from her water bottle, defiantly staring him in the eye; she wasn't conceding defeat just yet. "What's the job…mister…" The lizard held out a hand and said smoothly, "Call me Barristo." Clarissa shook the proffered appendage, mentally reminding herself to wash her hands as soon as she got back to her ship

"Now your first job …hmmm." He put a thumb to his chin and said, "You're new in the system, so I'll give you something easy.'

Clarissa had to will herself not to roll her eyes in annoyance, he was toying with her, trying to goad her into saying something that would piss him off.

The droid came back laden with a tray, on top of which rested a 12 oz bottle of sherry and a pair of dark shot glasses. The lizard poured himself a shot and threw it back expertly, blinking slightly as the synth-liquid hit his already loaded system. He offered a shot to Clarissa who politely declined the drink. After downing the second shot without so much as a grimace this time, he continued: "I sell high grade Fleegler capsules to the local community, the stuffs big in the outer rim worlds. Mad addictive y'see, one gram and they come begging for more."

Clarissa's opinion of the lizard dropped by a couple more notches, Great_, a pimp __and__ a drug dealer, where have my standards gone? _ Seriously glad that the reptilian couldn't read her thoughts, she listened further. "One of my customers has started skipping payments, took us three months to realize he's been doing it; slippery bastard. If one starts doing it, they all start trying to fuck up the system, we start losing revenue, and I end up answering to the bosses why their balances don't add up. Not fun."

Clarissa noted with some satisfaction, that his eyes showed a momentary flicker of fear at the mention of the 'bosses'. _Good to know this ectotherm's not completely invincible. Even he has someone to answer to. _Clarissa listened intently as Barristo downed another shot glass and continued: "We've been trying to track this guy for weeks now but he keeps moving all over the place, and he's using someone else to supply him from _their_ stash. This ferret owes us around 1,500 credits and I've decided that today's the day he pays up. "

The anole pulled out a 3x5 card and wrote a sequence of numbers on the back, then pulled out a photo and slid them both across the table to her. "He's Arixa Fergune, normal lowlife scum who has about a million cousins who'll help him out in a pinch. If he doesn't have the money, plug him. Send the rest of my clientele a message: you pay up or you pay with your hide."

"Any particular way you want me to dispatch this guy?"

Barristo gave her another one of his slightly disconcerting smiles and said, "I'll trust your judgment."

Clarissa nodded slightly and then rose, shaking his hand as she did so. Turning away from the anole she slipped out the door of the _Buckshot_ nightclub and into the bustle of the station. The lights were dim –which wasn't much of a surprise; the station's fusion cores were running at halved output due to delayed fuel shipments, casting a gloomy pallor over the crowd which Clarissa was forced to wade through to get to the elevators.

It would have been too much for Clarissa to ask for to have an uneventful ride down to the hangar bay, and so it happened that as she slipped into the elevator carriage, mentally praying that some idiot wouldn't walk up behind her and try to start something, that she heard a low whistle and turned to see a burly akita in a muscle shirt and cargo pants enter along with her.

She turned to face the newcomer, feeling apprehension as he looked down on her, from his impressive 6,1 height and quipped, "Well I always did admire women in uniform."

Clarissa's already foul mood caused her to snap, "I'm not interested compadre, find some other floozy. I heard the _Buckshot's _got girls aplenty." The Akita's eyes narrowed slightly and Clarissa heard the _snap_ of a cracking knuckle joint. Two levels passed in silence and as Clarissa's floor chimed she moved to pass the hulking expanse of muscle blocking the doorway.

"This ain't your floor."

"What?"

"I don't like girls with mouths, you ain't gettin off until you apologize. I was tryin to be nice is all." Clarissa looked at the hangar entrance with longing as the doors closed, sealing them in. Clarissa's quick mind flitted over to the set of titanium alloy knuckledusters in her left pocket. Although she'd get a moment's satisfaction from walloping this oaf, she knew that it wouldn't do to have enemies-when she wasn't carrying a pistol.

Clarissa apologized in an even tone, and then waited for the muscle-bound dog to admit passage. As soon as she stepped out into the open air, she breathed a sigh of relief. Males had never been a favorite with her, at least not since her college years. A few unfortunate events during those years had ensured that almost all men who approached her became undesirable. Her long tail billowed behind her as she strode toward the antigrav platform which led down from the landing to the bank of hangar bays which rose in a spiral from the bottommost tiers of the station's superstructure. Clarissa clambered on, feeling the device shift uncertainly with her weight.

Wondering how long it had been since the thing had been serviced, she turned to a small console and keyed in the numerical code from the parking slip in her breast pocket. The grav-pad dropped unexpectedly downwards, leaving Clarissa in a freefall for a full three seconds before it went into it's normal descent routine, spiraling downwards at a much more tolerable rate. Clarissa picked herself up off the pad, grimacing as she felt a slight bump beginning to swell up on her right wrist; apparently she'd banged it attempting to break her fall.

She looked up at the naked girders of reddish metal superstructure, around which were intertwined various pipes and cables, half of which were probably add onto the station's original structure; the facility had only been built to handle 15 ships and it had taken several overhauls to reach it's current capacity of 150 vessels. As Clarissa spiraled downward she saw a much larger pad carrying a group of simians up toward the social level. They were dressed like tourists, with their cameras, backpacks, and horridly out of fashion clothing and Clarissa couldn't help but think that at least one of the group would end up learning the hard way about carrying a purse in a crowd.

Clarissa had to hand it to the males, if they did get one thing right (even this was a bit much)- whoever had invented the wallet had been a genius; portability and ease of use in one small package. The lift dropped Clarissa off at flight gantry # 12, which was the temporary home of her old Ikaria A-12 Star hopper.

The ship was at least half a decade old, but despite the outmoded technology, Clarissa preferred it over some of the other models she'd seen in the hangar. It's lack of complex parts ensured easy repairs and overhauls, even a person with relatively low technical skills could make simple field repairs with ease.

The ship was built for three occupants, and had a rear storage bay which Clarissa had resized to accommodate a single Spartan X-71 Heavy Bomber and an old turbine-type hover bike. The ship had four small levels, first floor was the galley and cockpit, second floor held the berths , most of which Clarissa used for storage and the final level housed the cargo bay, a miniscule armory and the engine rooms and computer core . Clarissa keyed in the access code and checked her watch. It was 1:00 pm.

The ramp hissed open and Clarissa stepped into the ship's innards. Pulling a remote from a wall holster she keyed in a few commands, and the flowing notes of Beetoven's 5th flitted birdlike into the confines of the cargo level. Clarissa bent her head as she passed under the wing of her Spartan X-71 bomber, sliding her hand lovingly across the cool metal as she passed. Entering the small personal lift, she pressed the well worn button which sent the lift on a three second journey to the second floor. The carriage stopped with an earsplitting shriek, and Clarissa mentally noted that she'd have to re-oil the compressor system on the lift's hydraulic brakes.

Her room was the largest of the three; middle door and located closest to the lift, affording quick access in case of an emergency. She pressed her thumb against the bio-scanner and heard a musical chime as it recognized the vixen. She pushed the solid steel door open and entered the room. It was furnished simply, a small workstation was in the far corner, a queen sized bed which Clarissa had come to regard as a necessity after having to sleep in the cockpit of her bomber for over a week. Clarissa kicked off her boots and shed her jacket, pulling back the workstation's chair and sliding in, booting it up with the casual flick of a finger.

After keying in another access code, she had gained access to the station's Interlink channel, and rifled through the pockets of her jacket for a few moments before pulling out the picture and the index card. The sequence of numbers that Barristo had written upon the back of the card was really an IP address, a sort of beacon that let the station's switch boards know where to broadcast signals effectively thus conserving precious bandwith.

The IP addresses could be traced easily, provided that one had the correct programs-but Clarissa guessed that Barristo's agents had tried to hack into the guy's system, gotten tagged and he'd flown the coop as soon as they sent out a collection agent. Clarissa pulled out the photo and studied it.

The eyes were always the first thing she noticed, they were slightly out of focus, and Clarissa could guess that the ferret had been under the influence of _something _when the picture was taken. She opened a small flatbed scanner, sliding the picture underneath and running it though. The ferret's face ballooned on the holographic screen, and Clarissa zoomed in again just to make sure. _Dilated pupils, yep…something's in his blood. _

Clarissa zoomed out again, checking the facial fur. Reasonably clean, which meant that he'd had a steady job when he'd started taking the stuff. Obviously Barristo's idea of 'lowlife scum' included the full spectrum of the middle class. Clarissa minimized the picture and pulled up a layout of the station. Immediately her eyes fell upon levels 1-300 all of which were apartments. Clarissa knew that in the less civilized systems, racial and species divisions were still alive and well. She automatically wrote off levels 50-300 as those were expensive luxury condos, only wealthy canids and felines lived up there. Middle and lower class were spread out below them in stratified layers.

The stations' network had two main transmitters, one which transmitted to the residential level and another which handled the commercial levels and hangar, which were primarily low use areas. IP addresses were not merely a series of random numbers. Arixa's address, (45.23.) behaved via a simple set of rules. The first two digits dictated the coverage of the generators, so Arixa lived somewhere in between levels 1-45. But this meant that Clarissa would have to search each of the 500 apartments in levels 1-45 in each of the 300 level blocs.

Some of this confusion was removed however when one noted that the second set of numbers denoted connection speed and as the middle class were restricted to under 30 kbs…. Clarissa's hands flew over the keyboard as she entered in the search, setting the ship's COM system to passively scan the net for computers running at 20 or higher Kbps, and sure enough she found them, a band of hotspots in level 37, all the other low income middle class were running at the redline. But she noted with some interest that one signal in particular was…moving?

She set the scanners again and ran the program. The same slow laborious movement. Directly above her. Clarissa slipped on her coat and boots, stumbling toward the door. The lift took her down to the engineering level where Clarissa fumbled through a bin of old electronics before withdrawing a selenium gas powered jetpack. She'd bought the thing on a whim but never used it.

Slinging the pack onto her back and pulling a mini-scanner from a bin, she sprinted for the exit-narrowly avoiding clanging her head against the wing of her bomber as she passed.

Once outside, she strapped the Jetpack's control setup to her arm and keyed in the IP address on the scanner's battered keypad. Opening up the throttle, she rocketed upward, narrowly missing girders and walkways as she ascended. Clarissa set the jetpack to it's hover function and paused to set the scanner for 'proximity'. Slowly she eased the hat stick forward and watched as the numbers decreased. Finally she looked up from the device. She was hovering fifty meters away from the damn thing, and there was nothing except a small spider like maintenance droid which crawled spiderlike over the girders, spraying rust resistant foam on the scarred metal.

Clarissa had put her thumb on the joystick, ready to turn around when she stopped. She pushed the stick forward coming in for a close view. The little droid was struggling up the vertical face of the girder-and a small rectangular chip was glued to it's back. Several wires led from the chip to the insect like body of the droid and in a flash Clarissa grasped the simple genius of Arixa's plan.

The chip, glued clumsily to the droid's back was a simple Network Interface Card, which would route the signal from the Interlink servers to another computer in the network. The card probably was designed to cut off if _active_ scanners were used but Clarissa's roundabout method had rendered the plan useless. The droid was the perfect cover, it's patrol routes changed constantly and with their large power cores, there was only a slight possibility of the thing cutting out in the middle of service.

Clarissa pulled the droid off the wall, and plugged a small cable into an access port, running the scanner's digital tendrils over it's software…a few seconds of scanning and Clarissa had easily gained the exact transmission location, narrowing the re-directed signal down to apartment 234 on Level 233.

Clarissa descended in a slow spiral, finally bee lining toward her ship. Skidding to a stop she unbuckled the jetpack and checked her watch. 2:00 pm. As she sprang down up the entrance ramp, Clarissa threw the half-expired jetpack into a bin and pulled a cellphone from her pocket. Speed dialing Barristo's number, she waited for the lizard to pick up the phone.

"Yeah?"

"It's Clarissa…I've found him."

It had taken Clarissa another half hour to choose the appropriate outfit for her small trek into the upper tenements. She obviously couldn't wear her standard outfit in a residential area; on stations like this, the residents were able to recognize mercs from a mile away, and unless one knew how to properly camouflage themselves, their quarry would have flown the coop as soon as they got within 500 meters.

Clarissa's outfit was deceptively simple, tight fitting blue-jeans and a lime green shirt, over which she wore a thin jacket. Unless one looked closely at the vixen one might envision her to be one of the minor distributors, peddlers who fed the local habit and answered to local Lords like Barristo. But the outfit was merely an ingenious disguise.

On the inside of the pants legs Clarissa had taped paper thin strips of ultralight Kevlar, focusing most of the material on her knees and ankles, the most obvious spots for a shooter to aim for, especially one who was inexperienced. The gel was rated for lo powered blaster fire-but considering the poverty level on the station, that was all she expected Arixa to field, if anything.

Her jacket contained a light lead mesh interwoven into the padding which could fool house scanners, and inside the right inside pocket was a singe Smith & Wesson 652 model revolver. Old world weapons were useful, as the rest of the civilized systems used plasma and laser based weapons. The technology used to trace ballistic weapons had almost completely disappeared, and left a gigantic hole that enterprising mercenaries with a little extra money were only too willing to fill.

Clarissa strode toward the repulsorlift pad, her stride relaxed…calm. Completely different from the devil-may-care look that she had worn when in her previous outfit. Clarissa's ride up to the upper level was uneventful, except for a few unsettling tremors from the pad's generators. She stepped off the pad and headed for the lift which would take her to the tenement levels. As she stepped inside the lift, her eyes strayed to the graffiti scrawled upon the wall floors and ceiling, an odd tangle of multicolored lines and squiggles, in a hundred different languages and dialects, denoting the supposed prominence of the various gangs and cults that ran the station.

Criminal organizations were especially prevalent in space stations, and this one was no different. Clarissa had done a small bit of research before coming to the station, and wore only neutral colors; but with a simple change she could affiliate herself with at least three districts-when it suited her. Clarissa noted with some sign of relief that the elevator was traveling on old style cable tracks, none of the badly maintained antigravity lifts for her. She keyed in level 233 and waited out the long ride to the top, feeling her blood begin to boil as pre mission jitters wracked her mind.

The levels passed in a blur 1…20…40…50, and the vixen's heart rate sped up as she neared her destination. Her hand strayed to the brass knuckles in her left pocket, and she slipped them over the fingers of her long delicate hands. It was always like this with new areas. On the first mission she'd get uncharacteristically nervous, even though she almost always succeeded in doing the jobs assigned her.

The elevator chimed noisily and Clarissa let out a deep breath before stepping out into the walkway. The floor was worn smooth, and had a slight patina from the years of footprints which had scoured it's surface. The air up this high was hot, as the apartment levels were located up at the station's zenith, and all it took was a simple lesson in convection, to explain the nearly 20 degree temperature difference between the apartments and the hangar levels.

About 100 feet above her the walkway from the higher up level loomed precariously and Clarissa could see a veritable rats nest of cables and wiring of varying thickness and coloring following the gentle curving arc of the walkway. Clarissa guessed that about 10 percent of the population had access to pirated services, which explained the odd smatterings of high speed uplink tags Clarissa had found scattered throughout the middle class strata.

The lights here were a barely distinguishable glow; perhaps the pull from the commercial sector's power grid had been stronger than usual that night. As Clarissa strolled past the rows of tenements she could hear the sounds of holo-feed players broadcasting the swoop race from Artarcus IV. She could hear the muffled sounds of laughter…of children playing, though none roamed the streets as child slavery was a very real threat on a space station.

She could hear them, but not see them; windows had been dispensed with hundreds of years ago; too easy for robbers to break and enter. Yet for all the precautions, life here seemed to be only two notches away from normal. _Normal. _Clarissa had lived a normal life…once. Before the change had come.

A change that had affected her family…and shaken it to it's core. Clarissa stopped in front of the apartment building where she had traced the signal. Apartment 234. She felt her heart rate slow as she reached her hand toward the metal surface. _Clang…Clang…Clang._

The sound echoed hollowly, the other noises having faded from her consciousness, her mind was waiting for a response. Praying for it. She slid the brass knuckles farther up her fingers and tapped with the left hand this time, rapping the metal sharply, one ear twitching at the piercing musical note that was produced. Three seconds passed.

Clarissa flexed the fingers of her left hand, hearing a muffled pop, as a joint snapped from inside the fabric of the jacket. There was the sound of footsteps from behind the door. A light _whirr _emanated from the top of the frame, and Clarissa glimpsed the fisheye lens of a buttonhole camera peering out at her.

"_Who're you?"_

The voice was hoarse and quivery, that of a being of at least 70 years, not the 45 year old ferret which she had glimpsed in the picture. Clarissa swallowed and said, "I'm your supplier. Got some Flea if you want it."

"_Show me your hands."_

Clarissa had already slipped the knucklers off her fingers, and quickly flashed her hands in front of the camera. There was a light _click_ as the camera's scanners engaged and swept down her frame.

Another pause, and then the door unlocked with a muffled _thunk_ and swung open on loudly hissing hydraulics. Clarissa stepped forward and entered the apartment. The door closed behind her and Clarissa was sealed in. It took several seconds for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, but in that time Clarissa was able to approximate the position of the ferret with ease. She could smell him even from the entranceway.

Clarissa looked up finally and saw him. The animal's fur was matted with grime, sweat beaded on his forehead, his only clothing a pair of tattered shorts, his chest bare. His eyes shone with an unearthly light, the right eye slightly red from a burst vessel. His hands shook slightly.

_My God…how can Barristo sleep at night? _ The ferret strode unsteadily over to the far wall and slid a dimmer switch upward slightly, alleviating the gloom. Clarissa felt her heart sink slightly with a mixture of disgust and pity as she saw the state of the room. Synth-beer canisters were strewn all over the floor. A red coffee table sat in the middle of the room, on top of which were various empty bottles and bags. Clarissa could guess what those had once contained. On the far wall, to the left of an old cathode-ray TV set hung a picture of a pair of ferrets, one male and one female and a child of about 5 years. All looked young and happy. Her eyes flitted over to the aged creature sitting in a chair, running his trembling hands over his arms and realized that they were one and the same.

Arixa cleared his throat loudly, and Clarissa jumped slightly. Reaching into her pocket with her left hand she withdrew a baggie of small red pills and tossed them to the ferret who snatched them out of the air like he was grabbing onto a lifeline. And in all probability he was. "Who are you with…I've been looking for a new supplier since last Monday."

"Can't say. A friend told us you'd been bitten, said I might be able to help the 'itch'." The ferret looked at the bag closely. "These are red." Clarissa cursed mentally, she'd been unsure of what the capsules had looked like and had grabbed some small vitamin c tablets from her medicine chest to use as a prop.

"It's a new batch…we're new in the business. Apparently red's the new black." His bright eyes searched her face momentarily. Finding nothing in her face, he reached down into the bag and withdrew a few of the pills, swallowing them dry. Clarissa sat down in a chair opposite the ferret, shifting her coat slightly-and using the motion to slip her right hand inside her jacket. The fingers curled around the handle of the pistol.

The old six-shooter slug thrower was an antique that had belonged to her father. The family had been in the Solax mining business, and he had used it to defend himself when staking his claims among the stars. He'd said the gun had always brought him luck, and in homage to him she always brought the weapon along with her when on contracts in new areas.

"Nothing's happening.'

"Possibly a delayed reaction. Or your tolerance levels are up." The pair sat in silence for a moment. A roach scurried along the wall, and Clarissa tracked it's movements with her eyes. _Best to end this now…_

"You can go now."

Clarissa didn't move. A long sigh escaped her lips as she prepared herself. "You've been a hunted beast Arixa." She withdrew the revolver and rose. "You should have known he'd find you…"

"Barristo…" he breathed, face pale, eyes wide.

"Apparently you owe him 1500 credits. Either you pay him off or I kill you." She looked him dead in the eyes. His eyes fell and he looked at the floor. "I haven't got any money…nothing at all."

In a voice near a whisper he said, "I had a family…once. They left…after it all started…the drugs. I lost my job…we fought. She took the ship and left." He looked up at her and said: "This shit eats you alive, you know?" Clarissa nodded and pulled back the hammer on her pistol.

_Click._

"Yeah…life'll do that to you."

Her fingers tightened around the trigger. Nerve impulses raced along neural pathways as her brain calculated the aiming vectors. Tendons contracted…and the gun bucked. The bullet sped across the room in the blink of an eye, and the ferret 's head was thrown backward, a spray of blood arcing out like some hellish fountain as chips of bone and flecks of grey matter flew outward from his cratered skull. In her mind Clarissa could see the look of release in his eyes as the bullet tore through his cranium.

Clarissa had heard from assassins that their victims sometimes thanked them as they died. She'd never believed it. Until now.

She pulled the hammer back and shot him in both kneecaps. Her sense of pity had prevented her from taking the 'creative license' that Barristo had said she'd had. It was unlikely that Barristo's thugs would count what order the shots had been fired in. By this time the smell of gunpowder was heavy in the air. Clarissa walked over to the wall and flicked the dimmer to high, flooding the room with light. The corpse looked somehow noble even in it's withered state.

Clarissa flicked the venting system to high, wanting to exchange the air before the authorities came-assuming that they would even bother coming up for what was simply a domestic issue. The cops and the gangs rarely bothered each other. Still, the less they knew about her modus operundi the better.

Before she left, she picked up the spent casings, slinging them into her pocket, then walked over to the picture of the ferret's family. She slammed it against the table, breaking the glass and withdrawing the picture. The shards of glass looked liked diamonds in the harsh light, some landing in the pool of blood that had already begun to leak from the metal chair in which Arixa had sat. She folded the picture in half and placed it in the hand of the dead ferret; closing the fingers around it tightly; in a futile attempt to offer some form of comfort to the beast she had been assigned to kill.

15


	2. For Want of a Finger

_Apologies to those who have been waiting for updates on this story from me…you'll like this…trust me… _

Payday

From the start of Clarissa's mercenary career, the vixen's life had been full of duality. Good, and evil. Right and wrong. Today was no different. To eliminate Arixo, she had traveled to the station's peak. To collect her payment, she would journey to it's very depths.

The vixen sat in the flitter's small workroom in a battered metal chair, holding the jetpack in her lap and using a tri-beam probe to unfuse the contact points on it's outer casing and get at the innards of the contraption. The vixen paused for a moment to look at her watch. It was 4:45 AM. _Why does that lizard feel the need to assign payment sessions at these hellish hours? _The vixen sighed and flicked an ear, attempting to dislodge a flying mite that had been plaguing her since she'd awakened a few hours before.

Clarissa twisted the glowing implement one final time, unfusing the micro bead welds and pulling the dura-steel plate off the rear face of the machine. The plate fell to the floor with a light _clunk, _as the vixen set the jetpack on the floor gently and strode over to a corner, pulling a series of charge packs from a small shelf and slipping the red spheres into the three holders before picking up the rear plate from the floor and using the tri-beam to re weld the plate back into place.

Allowing the pack to rest on the floor, she strapped the control setup to her arm, wrapping her hand around the joystick. Turning to her left she reached into the box that the pack had come in, and pulled out a small holo-emitter and keypad assembly, turning it about in her hand momentarily before remembering the small set of ports located on the controls; a small amount of fiddling and… "There we go."

She flicked a small switch on the joystick and was pleased to see the small holo-emitter show a test pattern before loading a rudimentary operating system. For the next few moments she fiddled with the settings, then she strapped the pack to her back. Instead of her normal cameo-wear she wore a black leather jacket and jeans. _We want to look normal don't we?. _She chuckled gently and tightened the straps slightly, not as hard as she'd done the last time she'd used the device but enough that if she had to make any sudden moves she wouldn't find herself devoid of the pack and 'walking on cloud nine' so to speak.

Clarissa was traveling to that forbidden section below the relative safety of the commercial and residential sectors. Dark Realm, Black Sector; were some of the names given habitually to places like this. Clarissa simply thought of it as hell. _Of course, with the business I do and the company I keep, hell will probably the most likely place I'll end up…_

As she lowered the ramp the vixen grabbed a small Floret A-10 pistol and clipped the weapon to her belt. Her brass knuckles were in her pocket as always; she almost never used the implements, as much of her power resided in her legs (hence the use of steel toed boots) but they were a prize she'd taken when she'd bagged her first combatant.

They'd fitted her hands perfectly, a coincidence that surprised her even now. They were useful in a fight, insuring that the force of her fists would be concentrated in a small area, doubling the effect of her strikes. _And the fear factor helps as well. _

The vixen stepped outside the confines of the ship into the relative light of the station's spotlights-which were on constantly regardless of whatever sleep-cycle the rest of the station's population ran by. _These stations never sleep. Everyone's too busy trying to survive to rest. _This ran through Clarissa's mind as she keyed in the sequence for the door latch, and watched as the ramp closed with a satisfying _clank_. She pulled a small device from her breast pocket and pointed it at the ship's COM array, keying in a quick sequence of commands. The ship's running lights blinked twice in response and Clarissa felt a thin smile of satisfaction grace her lips as she saw the six Pulsar cannons (two nose, two side and two rear) begin sweeping from left to right, searching for targets.

One of the guns suddenly snapped to face her, but after scanning her biometrics the ship registered her, flashed it's running lights once in recognition and resumed it's programmed search for foreign targets.

A number of years ago Clarissa had learned of the folly of trusting her ship's safety to the security systems of a hangar bay and had been forced to spend over 1000 credits replacing the hydraulic cabling on her ship's landing gear. After that, she'd gotten to the point where she set her ship to blast any biological form that was within a 30 foot perimeter of her ship for more than three seconds. _Kindness isn't a requisite on a station like this. _

The vixen stepped to the edge of the hangar, looking down into the black abyss. She flicked the switch on her arm, feeling a slight vibration from the jetpack as it warmed up, the twin turbines spinning up with a barely audible whine. Clarissa looked at the small holographic emitter. _Green is good. Hopefully the Power Save option really works…_

Clarissa took a few steps back from the edge, steeled herself then sprinted forward and leapt off the edge, hanging in mid-air for an instant like a freeze-frame, then dropping out of sight as the station's artificial gravity kicked in. Clarissa's hand pulled up gently, using the antigravity unit within the jetpack to slow her descent from an all out freefall to a more leisurely descent rate of around 30 meters per second. Her long tail fanned out behind her as she fell. Occasionally she tilted the joystick left or right to avoid the occasional spiders nest of walkways or platforms but these became fewer and fewer as she descended farther and farther down.

She glimpsed an orange glow from farther below and with a few deft keystrokes had tilted until she was facing downward, her tail tickling the tip of her right ear as she slowed to view the strange glowing thing below her.

The vixen dropped further, peering with interest as she saw a gigantic cylinder of metal which seemed to be hovering in midair below her. Shafts of orange light blazed from small slits in it's side. As she dropped past it, throttling down and switching to an upright position, she felt a gentle heat caress her face, evidence of the amount of energy constrained within the confines of the fusion generator. Clarissa had to force herself to look at her watch, 5:16. Sighing she ratcheted the antigravity unit down a few levels, falling faster this time. The light faded, giving way to a very dim glow, which was soon overshadowed by the intermittently flickering lights of the Black Sector. She pulled out her communicator and keyed in Barristo's number one final time.

"Yeah?"

"Barristo, it's me, Clarissa. Where do we meet?

The lizard spoke in an almost conciliatory tone as he gave her directions to _Dante's Inferno, _a highbrow dinner club that his cartel controlled. Clarissa's gaze swept downward and she tilted the joystick forward, the turbines whine increasing slightly as the motors took the full brunt of her body's weight.

She cruised toward the platform that jutted out from the walkway connecting the catwalk to the main ring of buildings. As she landed she looked about. There were a few figures transversing the walkway, but none of them looked her way- why would they, mercenaries were extraordinarily common here. She looked at the opposite end of the bridge and saw the bank of elevators connecting the lowest level with the upper levels.

_It would have taken me double the time to get down here if I had taken the lift. Good thing I bought this thing. Definitely worth the 700 credits I paid for it. _

The white vixen zipped down the catwalk, hovering just above the uneven surface, which bore the scars of recent blaster fire. _Must have been one helluva firefight. _Eventually she threaded her way through the grime filled streets, most of which were devoid of light as the station's owners refused to provide services to the section of the station, apparently they'd assumed that it would simply die out without the feed. To put it simply: it did the opposite.

People rigged up portable generators, started smuggling old mining lamps from the supply closets and within a year the place was up and running. Clarissa tapped a few keys on the jetpack's keypad, turning on the proximity sensors, using the small radar-like display to warn her of any threats.

At the end of the bridge, she shut down the jetpack and looked around at the ramshackle compounds around which a few shabbily dressed vendors stood hawking their wares. Refuse lined the uneven catwalks, bottles, cans, spent cartridges and casings from at least 10 different types of firearm. Motes of dust floated in lonely shafts of light streaming downward from the hangar and Commercial districts as well as from the fusion reactor which hung hundreds of feet overhead, suspended on invisible antigravity beams. _Perhaps they look above them…and dream of what might be…of the future. If there is such a thing in a place like this_.

To her, time was the only constant, it trundled on, never halting for those who fell from it's slippery handholds, those who were left in places like this. "I'll bet you a dollar that this is what purgatory is like…" she mused aloud to the empty air. Unbidden, another thought lanced through her brain, _Is this where I really wanted to wind up? Was this where any of them wanted to end up? At the bottom of the proverbial mineshaft? _Shaking her head, she loosened the control setup from her arm and clipped it to the side of the pack, flexing her cramped fingers before thrusting her hands into her pockets.

The white vixen strode forward into the half light, wincing painfully as a blindingly yellow mining lamp glared down at her from above, a beacon in a sea of other faintly glittering lights; it's brilliance searing her retinas momentarily before she passed into a pool of darkness.

Fifteen minutes passed in this way, transferring from light, to dark searing luminescence to equally startling gloom. "_Kind of like my life…switching in an instant from one side of the spectrum to the other…_As Clarissa neared the dinner club she paused to veer toward an abandoned stall recessed into an alcove in the dura-steel inner skin of the station. She neared the stall with some sense of confusion; she had been drawn here for some reason…. exactly what had drawn her _here_ of all places to be drawn to, she did not know. She approached the off kilter metallic structure and placed a hand on the countertop, sliding a slender index finger along it. The digit came away, covered with grime, but Clarissa only noted this in passing; as in the crook of a support beam, she found a gleaming shard of crystal, about 3 inches long, which shone brilliantly, managing to reflect the dim glow from her wristwatch. _To find beauty in a place like this… there's a metaphor for you…_

A sharp beeping from her wrist watch warned her of the time limit, and she slipped the crystal shard into her pocket. _I'd best muse later, right now my prerogative is to get paid and __off__ the station! _Clarissa's natural sense of direction finally led her down a foul alley (if it could be called that as all alleys eventually dead ended.) to a heavily pitted steel door, recessed into the side of a building which lay in a pool of darkness. The vixen unzipped her jacket and pulled the Floret pistol from an inside pocket, flicking the safety off the weapon, then replacing it in the safety of her inner pocket. Clarissa's heart rate went up slowly as the rank smell of urine assaulted her nostrils. With every step she took toward the door the feeling of danger increased, coming to a crescendo of warning bells that abruptly stopped the second she'd put her hand on the entrance scanner.

_Strange. I've never had that happen before. Perhaps it was the smell… _ Clarissa jumped inwardly as a panel just above eye level slid back with a _bang, _sending a shaft of bright light streaming directly into the dilated pupils of the vixen, who blinked fiercely for a few seconds before staring defiantly at the bulldog who manned the door. The dog's face was a mass of scars and cuts, most healed completely, some which were fresh and bandaged.

_This guy looks like a brawler…and a stupid one at that. _ The bulldog looked her over once and then growled in a deep base (which Clarissa assumed was supposed to scare her),

"No broads allowed, so unless you've got a set of danglies, you're not getting in." Clarissa felt her temper rise slightly, as she mentally quipped, _I'll bet I've got more balls than you've got brain cells._ She forced herself to keep this piercing little gem to herself however and said, "Barristo called me, I'm here to collect a payment." An eyebrow cranked upward on the vixen's face, daring the bulldog to defy her.

The bulldog glared at her for a few seconds before pulling a communicator from his pocket and speaking into it gruffly for a few seconds before sliding the view plate shut and pulling the door open slowly to admit passage. Clarissa stepped forward into the confines of the entranceway, passing the bulldog, who growled low in her throat as she passed.

"Don't even try it, Bosco." Clarissa quipped as she passed, allowing her steel clad knuckles to slip into view. Stepping beyond the range of the guard, Clarissa came to a set of brightly polished mahogany doors, inlaid with patterns of silver leaf. Clarissa couldn't help but scoff at the sheer disgusting opulence of it all. That a select few could have such wealth in the midst of poverty, disgusted her. To a degree, however, she knew that she was being rather hypocritical. _A mercenary judging a mob boss…well now…_

As she entered the room, Clarissa's nose pricked at the enticing scent of pasta, and seared meat, of spices and herbs, that wafted from behind the doors to the 'galley'. Clarissa stepped past the dining area, avoiding the questioning, half fearful eyes of the patrons as she swept past, them toward a wooden saloon style door, which led to a long dimly lit bar behind which an old lynx stood polishing shot glasses. At the far end a lone German Shepherd sat nursing a drink of some sort. For a moment their eyes met, then Clarissa's attention was drawn to an orange furred mutt sitting lazily in an overstuffed armchair next to the hearth and flicking the top of a heavily patinaed silver lighter back and forth with an easy rhythm.

He wore a tightly fitting leather jacket, Khaki pants and a smirk that immediately set Clarissa's nerves on edge. She stopped in front of the mutt and said in an even tone, "Where's Barristo?"

"He was called away on business. I'll be taking over his position for the moment."

Clarissa rolled her eyes mentally, _Great, another prick to deal with… _ She slung the jetpack from her back, lowered herself gingerly in the armchair facing the dog and waited.

_Click._

A low murmuring from the wall screen buzzed in Clarissa's ear, some news report about piracy along the interstellar trade routes. Clarissa's eyes were locked upon those of the mutt, awaiting his first move.

_Flip._

The light _click-click_ of a maintenance droid's spindly legs skittering along the ceiling, pinged off of the vixen's eardrums. As she tracked it's movements, mentally she mused, _If he clicks that damned thing once more, I'll break his thumbs…_

_Click._

Clarissa cleared her throat in irritation and said, "I've come here to collect my payment." The dog flipped the device closed and chuckled gently, "Ah yes, he told me you'd ask for payment. I just got confirmation from our sweepers…that ferret's probably dancing in the first circle of hell by now. Good work."

Clarissa breathed an unconscious sigh of relief. The job was done…the memory of the event could be put to rest. A warning flag popped up in her mind as she searched the mutt's face. Something wasn't right…

"_However…"_

Clarissa's hand flexed inside the pocket of her jacket, as she heard the hated three syllable word bounce around the confines of her brain.

The mutt pulled a thin cigarette from a pocket, lit it and blew a cloud of blue fumes into the air. Smoke curled upward from his parted jaws as he took another drag. Clarissa had to mentally force herself to hold back the low rumble that quivered at the edge of her throat.

"However it seems that your funds have been…let us say, _diverted_ to more important matters…"

Clarissa's eyes widened as she leaned forward in her chair. _"What?!" _

"Allow me to explain. Barristo traced your records, made some calls and traced your lineage… You've got some debts to pay."

Clarissa's eyes had narrowed to slits as she sputtered, "I_ don't know what you're-_ _I've paid off every single debt I've ever owed in my life…"_

"All except the one." Clarissa's neck cracked audibly as she turned to face a young calico feline who had strode silently through the wooden saloon-esque doors to enter the room. The eyes of the feline were golden slits which glittered with a cold inhuman light. What made Clarissa's blood run cold were the long fingers casually wrapped about the handle of a military grade DalTEC A-12 assault pistol which she slowly raised to aim at the vixen.

"_What the hell is this?"_

'Merely a warning. You of all people should know that your family's past isn't as clean as one might have expected…especially your father's."

Clarissa's mind blanked momentarily _My father... _The cat's smile widened as she saw the vixen's look of confusion.

"Your father's climb to fame wasn't exactly under his own power…he needed help. Loans…protection. Luckily for him the Draxel Coalition was willing to help. We know of your past attempts to pay off his debts. Too bad they came too late to save your father eh?..."

Clarissa felt her throat clench as the memories came back to her. The call during her morning classes. The frantic drive to the estate. The wreckage. The stench of burning flesh. The grief.

_I thought I'd buried it all… thought I'd done the right thing. And now, just when I'd assumed it was behind me… _ A surge of vengeful energy took hold of the vixen who lunged forward, her hands outstretched toward the feline. She was in a blind fury, nothing mattered, nothing except eliminating _her. _ The felines blazing orbs consumed her vision, she hated them, taunting her, daring her to strike out, to hurt to tear, to _rend. _ It was this fury that was Clarissa's single mistake. Her form was perfect, flawless, the outstretched fist poised to connect with the feline's jaw…it was only when the vixen was but a hairs breadth away from the cat that things went wrong.

Bending easily, the feline stooped under the clawed fingers of the vixen's hand and stabbed upward, bringing the spiked contact points of a tazer to contact Clarissa's stomach. An electric charge arced through the vixen's outstretched form bucked convulsively, falling backward onto the tiled floor, an involuntary shiver racing through her.

The cat stooped and lifted the half lucid vixen's chin to face her. The orbs bore into her own eyes as she stared back at her feeling the hatred consume her mind. The cat whispered in a conversational tone, _"I heard that back on earth they used to remove the limbs of those who couldn't pay debts. I'm not that crass…I'll just start eliminating your bloodline piece by piece until you pay me. And just to show how literal I am…" _The cat reached into a pocket and pulled out a gleaming set of wire cutters.

"I hear that mercs hate losing their trigger finger, tell me which hand's your dominant oneand I might be willing to…" Clarissa's mind had blanked, her eyes focused solely on the blade of the implement as it descended toward her hands. _No, God no please don't let them do this to me…_ A scream pierced her ears as memories began streaming before her mind's eye, faster and faster and-

Darkness…pure and absolute. It surrounded her, a sea of blackness, filling her nose her throat, she need to breath, to wake up-_wake up, WAKE UP NOW! _

Clarissa's eyes snapped open-and then squeezed shut as a searing pain raced up her right hand. _Goddamn it…middle finger…. _

"Here, this will help you with the pain."

The voice was richly toned, a deep base rumble, with a slightly dry rustle that caused her ears to twitch gently. The floor pitched beneath her slightly and she realized that they were moving. "'They_…' I'm with someone…on a ship…" _ The sounds of the engines welled around her suddenly and she realized that it wasn't her own. She looked to her left to see a German Shepherd in the co-pilots seat of a small twin engine fighter.

"Who are you?" she whispered, glancing down at her hand, which had been crudely bound with gauze. "I'm the guy that saved your ass…."

Clarissa stiffened as a Hypospray was pressed against her neck. "Tranquilizer mixed with pain killer. If you remain awake, you'll probably end up pumping half the blood from the arteries in your hand…"

The dog turned his head away from her, and she heard the oddly relaxing tone of his voice resonating throughout her mind as he issued commands through the ship's COM channel. "Yeah guys, remember that 'haul ass' protocol we mentioned? Well it turns out there _is_ a reason for it….."

Ulterior Motive

Upon her awakening, the first thing that Clarissa's mind registered was the acrid smell of disinfectant. The insistent hiss coming from the oxygen mask clamped over her muzzle was next; the moisture in her breath causing light fog to build up on the insides of the clear plastic.

Her eyes swept down the contours of her body, which was covered with a soft sheet of linen. _Real _linen, not the fake crap she'd seen in the medical bays of some starships. She was naked, her clothes folded in a neat pile on the bedside table. The vixen ran through a quick mental bodily checklist, twitching every muscle she could think to move.

The fact that she _could move_ was in itself a bonus-nothing had been broken. At least nothing that she could discern. She had a vague feeling that she was missing something, an appendage perhaps or-. She stopped. Her eyes had fallen upon a cloth covered in blood lying upon a glittering surgical tray, the brightness of the red a stark and unsettling contrast to the purity of the contrasting snowy white. In a rush the memories came back, the bar, the contract…Barrissto.

Her head swam as she tried to rise and then fell back onto the bed, her body quivering with exhaustion. _"What's happened to me?" _ she gasped.

A voice called out from the doorway: "You're weak due to blood loss. Lucky she severed the joint where she did or we'd have had to sew up way more arteries…" Clarissa's head shifted to view the speaker, a lean German shepherd in a black flight jacket and well worn jeans, whose piercing blue eyes locked with Clarissa's own. The canine crossed the room with a long measured stride, nose high in the air as if savoring the very molecular structure of the air although how anyone could treasure a recycled air supply for any reason other than the simple fact that it allowed one to breath was beyond Clarissa.

A chair slid out from under the bed with a scrape and the dog sat down with a light _thump, _strong hands folding in his lap as he turned to face her.

"You owe me kid."

A harsh laugh burst from Clarissa's throat. "Yeah…guess I do. I owe you, I owe that bitch that cut off my finger, I seem to owe every damn person I meet."

She turned to face him eyes suddenly blazing with anger. "Why'd you save me anyway? No need for you to risk your own neck for some lowlife bounty hunter like me eh?"

The dog's eyes were distant for a moment. "It's something I do every year. Promised my mom I'd try to help people. So I do something good, once each cycle. Just trying to shave a bit of time of purgatory you know? Besides, I know who you are, I know your reputation…you were-are good. Shame they kicked you out eh?"

A long sigh hissed from Clarissa's lips, hanging in the air like some delicate feather. "My God…I pray that they didn't get my ship yet." The German Shepherd cracked a knuckle and said, "I took the liberty of swiping your ID, had one of my team hotwire your ship have her dock alongside. A section of paneling's gonna have to be replaced but hell, you'll ride it out."

Clarissa raised her right hand and suddenly saw a shimmering silver facsimile of her finger twitch lightly as she jumped in surprise. "And what in the hell is this? Something else that I'll have to add to my bill?"

The dog chuckled gently and replied, "It might be, if it had cost us anything to get it. They're Xanthos Nanites; we swiped a sample from a government supply convoy, set it to self replicate…a few months later, and you've got instant fingers and toes. Plus here's the really cool part."

He took Clarissa's hand and, taking hold of the silvery digit began to pull. Clarissa watched in amazement as the digit began to stretch like putty, extending at least 8 inches from her hand. A roguish grin hinted at the corners of his jaw line as he said, "The stuff can be used like memory foam, stick it in a keyhole and it will conform to the lock, it can be turned into a mirror…all sorts of objects. And of course here's my favorite part."

The long fingers twisted deftly, and the reformed digit quickly became an 8 inch long needle-like spike. "Quite useful for self defense." Clarissa slipped her hand from his grasp and sat up, blinking fiercely in an attempt to shake off the blood loss fatigue that gripped her mind.

Zachary turned away as Clarissa hurriedly dressed, ears pricking at the clicks and snaps that issued from the zippers and clasps of her outfit. He turned to face her. The vixen's face was hard with anger. "Thanks for your help but I've got places to go, scores to settle…"

The male turned from her, walking toward the exit with a slow deliberate motion. His hand brushed the access pad and the doors slid open, allowing a breath of cool air to flow into the room. As they progressed down the short corridor, Clarissa noted the well worn floor tiles, slight depressions ran through the middle of the walkway telling a scuff marked tale of the hundreds of feet that had transversed the ship in years past.

Entering a dimly lit turbolift at the end of the hall the pair descended amid the loud rumble of the repulsorlift motors which slowly bore the carriage downward on green antigravity beams. They arrived at the hangar level with nary a bump, testament to the well maintained antigravity generators embedded in the shaft's walls.

The hangar of the ship was brightly lit compared with the hallway that she had walked through moments before. Powerful arc lamps sent photons streaming down upon the sleek outlines of 4 smaller assault fighters, which gleamed dully in the harsh light.

Across the hangar a young albino bat stood next to a docking port, dressed in a pair of scuffed blue jeans and flack jacket, and studying Clarissa's jetpack and snub pistol. The German Shepherd gestured with a measure of pride toward the bat and said,

"She's the one who pulled your ship from the docks….one of my best pilots." The bat looked up and grinned cockily at Clarissa. "I had to cut down a couple of guards to get through the perimeter defenses."

"Not to mention using the nose cannons to cut through the blast doors."

The bat's grin widened. "Yeah…that was fun. Anyway…hope you're alright. Middle finger eh? Nasty." The bat held out Clarissa's jetpack which Clarissa slung onto her back, and then the pistol which the fox checked before holstering it to her belt.

Clarissa had turned to go when she felt the hand reappear on her shoulder. "Where will you go?" She paused momentarily and then turned to face him, a low murderous growl tinting her voice. "They're threatening to kill my family… " Her lips pulled back to reveal the glint of ivory as she snarled, "I'm going to eliminate them…piece by bloody piece."

A heavy silence fell over the hangar bay, broken only by the occasional creak as the ship's superstructure contracted in the blazing heat of the star a few million miles away. The German shepherd stepped forward and pressed a small card into her hand. " Keep an eye peeled. Things can get rough out there."

She snatched the card from his hand and quipped, "Why don't you take that little statement and file it under 'shit I already know."?" The doors to the airlock opened with a gentle hiss and the German Shepherd's eyes swept over her profile as it slid into the darkness beyond. The doors closed with a snap and a muffled hiss issued from the seals as the ship pumped air from between the two vessels, restoring the vacuum between them.

Silence descended over the hangar bay like a heavy weight, broken only by the dull thunk which emanated from the docking port as Clarissa's ship detached and floated away into the void. It was the bat who started laughing first.

"She sure bought that story didn't she? "No payment" my ass….hell if she knew we'd siphoned her data cores while she was out she'd be after our blood by now."

A wry grin split the features of the canid as he walked toward the doors of the turbolift. The vixen was good, but still slightly naive…in this theatre there were no rules no code of honor.

_If nothing else I'll have the story of a lifetime in the palm of my hands…mercs from here to Antares VI have wanted to know how the hell she got kicked out the system…_

As the turbolift deposited him in the residential section however, a small voice began to nag at the back of his mind. _It was too easy…Shiva told me that there were no security protocols on the umbilical links…like she'd rolled out the freakin welcome mat for us…_

"No…she couldn't have…hell it isn't possible…"

"They say that talking to oneself is the first sign of madness."

Zachary turned to see Shiva's slim outline strolling toward him from the direction of the lift. "When you do this shit for a living you end up with partial psychosis…if you're lucky."

The bat sighed gently as she said, "None of us are lucky in that respect. An ex-con, a former government paid assassin and a run of the mill technical genius…hell, we represent the loony portion of the population ourselves. Still I'd rather be crazy with you guys than by myself. "

Shiva stretched, her wings creaking softly as the bat popped her knuckles and attempted to stifle a wide yawn. "Let me go to my quarters and let you start scanning the data before midnight, you know me, once I start talking-" Shiva stopped; he was already walking down the hall toward his sleeping berths. Shaking with silent laughter the bat strode the final few steps to her room and turned in for the night.

The canid's room was sparse, belying the strict military doctrine in which his family had been bathed in five generations prior to his birth. The Calrod family's bloodline ran through almost all of the levels of the Galactic Navy,-no the Nubian Galactic Navy Zack reminded himself as the 'GN' naming scheme had been so overused that it was almost impossible to distinguish the factions from one another without looking at the preceding name.

_A faction…that's all that they were by the time I came along…no pride no honor…no sense of right and wrong. Corrupt, the lot of them… _ The dog's brow furrowed in disgust; a heavy sigh punctuating the end of his sentence. As he booted up the computer and watched the holographic wireframe spin itself in to existence he thought aloud. "Hell we've done this hundreds of times…what's the worst that could happen?"

Looking back years later Zachary would wonder what might have happened if he had hesitated, had followed his instincts, listened to that sixth sense that had saved him countless times in his career. _If I had listened…then we could never have met…_

As the computer mainframe began peeling back the introductory layer of data which comprised Clarissa's core load, tendrils of underlying code began racing throughout the ship's operating system, which (as most computers do,) proceeded to show the least relevant and most cryptic error message in it's reference banks in response to the virus spreading throughout it's memory.

ERROR-402 Bad sector In DATA SET 45.34

"What the…"

It was at this moment that alarms began to sound throughout the ship.

Clarissa's foot tapped the worn deck plating in time to the music as she watched the sensor readouts with a half amused grin spreading over her features. It never ceased to amaze her how stupid males could be when confronted with members of the opposite sex-and how often they underestimated the capabilities of women across the board, regardless of their position or power level.

The ship floating placidly below her position had been thrown into a state of turmoil, the meta virus Clarissa had infused with her ship's software had spread it's deadly tendrils throughout the afflicted star craft's circuitry; full system lockdown would follow unless the system operators could find some way to flash-purge the memory buffers before the virus's grip could tighten any further.

Clarissa allowed the ship's occupants to suffer for another minute before opening a channel, allowing the suppressed anger she had been holding back to seep into her voice as she said, "I assume you wish for aid? " 

The reply was immediate, and she could sense the anger and disbelief through the heavy background of static: _"What the hell did you do to my ship you two-faced-UNGGH"_

The voice of the German Shepherd was cut off as a loud explosion sounded in the background. Clarissa hissed: "If you want to save your ship, let me dock and I'll purge the virus from your system."

As Clarissa prepared to dock with the ship once more a grm smile played over her features…it was time to show this cocky bastard that no one tried to take advantage of her and got away with it.

System RESTORE Operation Complete…all systems nominal..

The message scrolled across the view screen on the bridge of the _Lazarus_ as Clarissa turned to face the German Shepherd who glared at her from the captain's chair. Her stare was as cold as ice as she said, "I've hated it when people underestimated me…it's always happened…from when I wasat college to when I rose through the ranks….hell, even now, pricks like you who think they've got more than two balls like to test the theory…"

She paused momentarily, hand smoothing a furrowed brow, then descending into a pocket as she said, "My original plan was to vent the atmosphere in your ship…explosive decompression is quick and ironic. I might have had to spend a few hours scouring the decks removing your exploded craniums from the nooks and cranny's….but that's a small price to pay for easy cash."

The German Shepherd's reply was swift and with an angry bite that made Clarissa's fur bristle. "What the hell is it you want? Hell, if I had known you'd have been this much trouble I'd have bled you out myself…could have saved me some money."

The tone of Clarissa's next words caused the canid to take a step back mentally. Running a hand through her hair Clarissa said, "What I'm about to ask you goes against all of my instincts…I'd like to join your team. Not because I _want_ to but because you're good, and your contracts are lucrative. I'll pull my weight, trust me. If I slouch on the first mission you can dock my pay and send me out on my ass. For now…trust me on this…check my rap sheet…you'll see that I'm good."

The dog's eyes hardened and he stepped toward her a menacing growl shuddering low in his throat as he spoke, "I've never been more pissed off at a female in my life…you've got some serious balls to approach me like this…" Clarissa noted his clenched fists and allowed her uninjured hand to come into view, the glint of steel shining in the light. "Touch me…." Clarissa allowed the word to hang in the air…the message was clear.

_Well…what could it hurt…not like I can say no to an ace-merc hopping onboard. Hell she might actually be good. _

"Fine…you're in…but you'll pull your weight. Clear?" Clarissa nodded. "Our next mission takes us to the ice planet Hypoxis…colder than an elephant's eardrum but I've got cold weather gear we can use."

Clarissa flicked an ear dismissively and nodded. "I've got a Spartan X-71 bomber I use on surface missions…no need to rent a ship from you. How long till we hit the surface?"

"12 hours…best get some rest. Either you're suited up one hour before or you stay behind…I don't need any deadweight on that damn skating rink." Clarissa nodded and turned to leave. As the pair entered the turbolift, Clarissa looked him over once and said, "Military background?"

Rubbing the back of his neck in exasperation the dog chuckled, "Is it that obvious?"

"Your manner of speech…the whole, 'suit up' gambit…I've had ex militia people who I worked with…pissed the holy hell out of me. But at least they're predictable. And they do their job."


	3. Cold Snap

_Hello there faithful readers sorry about the long delay between updates…I was very displeased with my last entry (Clarissa was being very un-true to form) and decided to do a total rewrite…Barristo still dies, but in a much more 'fitting manner' shall we say….enjoy! _

Cold Snap

"_We've gotten word that a convoy carrying several high level officials from the Draxel Drug Cartel and 10,000 pounds worth of Flea capsules will be transversing a 150 mile stretch of ice on the planet below. Certain anonymous parties want the drugs… _

_We are to do a 'blind drop' timed exactly to put us one hour ahead of their group. Clarissa, you want to prove yourself? You're the 'bait'. Lead them in, wait until they're 100 meters from our position…then open up, we'll have taken over the base beforehand. _

_Good luck"_

Clarissa's mind ran over Zachary's monologue as entered the cockpit of her Spartan bomber, pausing to check the amber screen on her forearm (_ah, good…uplink established) _before strapping in and closing the canopy. A gentle vibration was transferred through her fingers, apparently she'd managed to misread the weather scans and her vessel was making it's approach in the direct path of the planet's jet stream.

This was good in the respect that the distortion caused by the wind would cause her to be nearly invisible even if she had been running her ship's reactors at the redline, and bad in the respect that there was a 75 percent chance that her fighter would get torn to shreds as soon as it hit open air.

Maneuvers like this, risky enough, almost always required two pilots, and the special uplink Clarissa had rigged with her ship's flight computers was a sort of last minute attempt to fix this problem.

She pressed a button on the screen on her right forearm opening the rear bay, which lowered as the Spartan's engines ignited with a ear-splitting howl-which Clarissa's ears barely registered due to the soundproofing which protected the fox's sensitive ears from the high decibel levels being blasted mere feet from her head.

Reaching above her, she pulled the red 'release' lever, the docking clamps disengaged and the bomber was sent rocketing off into high orbit. Above her the subroutines stored in the _Valkeryie_'s memory core kicked in and with a quick burst of power the ship pulled sharply upward and climbed back up into the vacuum of space, where it was to wait in geo-synched orbit until Clarissa required assistance.

Clarissa's hands shook slightly from nerves as she pitched downward, her stomach lurching slightly as she saw the swift column of frigid air roiling along beneath her. The vixen's hands flew over the control interface for a moment, preparing the vessel for the thousandth insane maneuver she was about to put it through.

**//SYSLOG-03//: Shield generators shifting to maximum output…surging structural integrity compensators to mark 2 progression. **

A low hum began to build up around the vixen's ears as the ship's energy turbines began to spin up to full, the press of a toggle would be all it would take to send her on the ride of her life…

The status lights shone green on the instrument panel…her scanners were free of targets. _Everything's perfect…_ Clarissa mused, and unless she forced herself _not _to look down at the maelstrom of wind and ice and snow, she was able to hold that illusion in her mind for a few seconds.

_I'd better press this damn button before I lose my nerve… _ _**Click. **__ So that's the sound of impending doom…huh…_

Clarissa's heart skipped as the full power of the ship's engines suddenly came to life in one massive surge, instinctively she auto locked the control setup, any hope of stable flight in a column of wind like this was fruitless, all was chaos,disorder and discord combined in a hellish dance of wind, snow and ice composite. The alarms were blaring around her, altimeter falling so fast that the individual numbers were unreadable, all she knew was that she had not yet hit the true layer of the jetstream, had not yet felt the power of the wind…

Suddenly a sphere of incandescent light flared around her as a gust of 300+ mph wind took hold , and the ship was knocked sideways roughly, as though a giant hand had simply grabbed the vessel and tossed it to it's brother. _The light… _Clarissa's mind flitted back to the day the _call_ had come in, the fear, the frantic drive back to the estate from the campus…-_We regret to inform you that your father's body was not found…_

It had been a fuel air bomb that had killed him…the one she'd loved…her father. That was the start of it all…

Clarissa's teeth were bared fully, the stark white daggers glinting in the wildly flashing lights of the control panels. She willed herself not to cry, not to unravel… _Why must these memories come now… _Perhaps it was the raw beauty of the storm, the power, the shrieking wind…something had been thrown loose inside her mind.

The wind died slightly, and she felt the ship's tumbling motion become less pronounced. The altimeter 's descent rate suddenly smoothed out, and Clarissa could see the ground far below (50,000) feet to be exact. She re-engaged the control setup and yanked upward on the flight stick, throttling back to a hover, the roar of her overtaxed engines subsiding to a gentle growl as she eased back on the throttle.

Clarissa flashed her passive scanners once from high orbit, and could see the convoy off in the far distance. The readings that were painted across the glass canopy's specially coated inside layer showed that the convoy was lightly protected, a few hover tanks, and cold weather vehicles, along with three light mechs, one in front, the other two flanking the sides of the convoy.

A text message scrolled across her fighter's HUD painting emrald green lettering on the windshield:

Base secured. Currently sending IFF code to allow you to trick the convoy. We'll be waiting on our end. 

Clarissa sighed gently and pushed the flight stick forward, switching on her IFF generator as she did so. This was it…this was where it would begin. The rest of her life.

Clarissa opened a channel and began," This is Guard Alpha to Convoy please respond…"

Comeuppance

Barristo's day had gone from bad to worse. The smuggling operations had not gone well, apparently skimming profits and drugs from the bosses main supply line to sell on the side was liable to get one noticed. _Or more than one seeing as how I'm not the only one in this little plan…_

Even with the limousine's heat on full it was still cold; the lizard had wanted to rent vehicles suited for cold weather environments but the transfer had been a rush job which somehow required _his _presence, it had taken some fiddling to fudge the bosses confirmation signature on the job.

Since he'd gotten on the station's transport which took him to the surface of that godforsaken snowball he'd felt trapped. Something was wrong, he couldn't tell what.

A half sigh escaped the lizard's thin lips as he gazed first out the heavily fogged and frost covered side window, the view from which was partially obscured by the bulk of the hover tank floating a few yards from their position; beyond which the searchlights of the Norseman mechs bobbed gently as the thick ostrich style legs ferried their pilots toward the base; the bulky multi jointed arms swinging back and forth occasionally as the pilots attempted to prevent ice from forming on the delicate ball-socket joints as well as scanning for target-which had been nonexistent although Barristo had been adamant in the briefing that an attack was almost certainly plausible.

But as of yet nothing had-…happened.

Barristo felt an alarm bell go off in his mind as the driver suddenly slammed on the brakes. "You _idiot_" the lizard snarled. "What's the holdup? Hit the gas and keep moving so we can drop this load."

"Can't sir, the lead vehicle hit it's emergency brakes a second ago."

Barristo's mouth opened to loose a string of badly organized expletives-which never came out as an explosion of light threw the machine backward a few feet, snapping the lizard's head forward into the back of the seat rest in a violent motion.

"Oh…Gods…" That phrase had been uttered by the driver; Barristo's jaw had dropped about a centimeter a half second after the drivers statement had floated through the air.

And their surprise and (for the lizard at least) apparent horror was warranted, Barristo winced slightly as the lead mech stumbled backward as laser bursts slammed against the armored plating, the pilot had been careless and had neglected to turn on his shielding at the start of the mission.

It was a deadly mistake, Norseman class mechs are built to stand up to ballistic weaponry-not against laser barrages, and the torso plating had begun to glow red hot under the continued barrage; an emergency shutdown would have been the pilot's next course of action-had an energy mortar not burrowed through the upper torso of the machine, which toppled over in a smoldering heap, glittering shards of it's fusion core littering the pack ice.

The ships of the other mercs whizzed through the air like bumblebees-only much more deadly, zipping here and there, dropping low power pulse bombs, scattering rounds of laser and plasma and pretty much nickel and diming the convoy's defenses to death.

For the first time in a long while Barristo felt true fear, his hand creeping unconsciously toward the holster of his Kavorkian G-76 assault pistol. He had bought the firearm a year ago-actually the term 'appropriated' was more correct, it had been stolen from a research facility a month before it had hit the market.

He had bought it mainly as a status symbol, used in threats, some veiled, some not. It had always been others who did the killing; 'grunt work' was for underlings. _Never _for him.

But now…

His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden silence which had descended over the tundra. No, that wasn't right-it was the lack of the sound of exploding munitions, the cries over the open com of the dying pilots that had dissipated. He used a small console to open the COM line to a wide frequency and broadcast a message.

"_All half-tracks, defend your cargo to the last bleeding being. Kill them, kill!-" _His words died in his throat at the sound of whining engines and turbines-they were landing, by God they were!

The loud clang of a rifle butt on the side paneling of the limousine caused him to jump about an inch. A loud shouted command came from outside, a female's voice vaguely familiar to him, no-no couldn't let this happen.

"_You…out there…" _ The mix of authority and terror in his voice was unmistakable, as was the drawn pistol in his heavily shaking grip. The skunk jumped to obey the orders of his master-only to cry out in pain at the brisk report of a plasma rifle and drop to the ice in a lifeless heap.

"_Out…now!"_

Turning away from the skunk the lizard's mind suddenly shifted gear; these were mercs, perhaps a well placed check could halt their progress… He re-holstered the gun and pushed the door open.

Outlined in the doorway, wreathed in the searchlights of a parked fighter craft, stood a white furred vixen, clad in winter cameo and leveling an assault rifle at the open door.

Clarissa's eyes widened in momentary shock and then narrowed into predatory slits. She reached forward and pulled the still reeling lizard out of the vehicle, closing the door with a swift kick.

Shouldering the weapon but maintaining the firm grip on his collar she began in a conversational tone, "Barristo, how pleasant to see you again, you double crossing bastard." The lizard's eyes tightened a fraction of an inch. "What did you just call me?"

"A double crossing bastard, sneak, possible eunuch, whatever term you care to use…" The vixen removed a glove and held up her right hand allowing all five digits to waggle in front of the lizard's eyes. "See this?"

"Nice prosthetic." he quipped.

The silver digit began to lengthen, slowly at first, then faster, shifting into a razor sharp point, which Clarissa pressed against his chin, all traces of normalcy gone from her speech. The sounds of gunfire from the convoy drivers, the whine of the idling fighter craft-all receded. Only this mattered. A small droplet of blood oozed from the lizard's chin.

A cocky grin suddenly sprang onto his face. "I wouldn't do it if I were you. Do you know who I am…who I _work for?_ If you kill me there'll be trouble. " His chin inched close to her ears as he spoke. "It'll be nothing for _them_, wasting a little shit nothing merc like you, you white furred bit-"

He stopped in mid sentence as Clarissa twitched, a dark chuckle snaking from her throat. "You know…only 3, maybe 5 people have ever double crossed me in my life. _They're all dead."_

She rose suddenly, retracting her finger, and pulling the sidearm at her waist holder out. "Stand up." The color drained from Barristo's face. "_Please…have mercy…I beg you.."_

"_Mercy…" _Clarissa snarled… "_Mercy, you dare ask this of ME?! Did you offer that ferret that you hired me to kill one shred of mercy? No. He died in his miserable hovel as a message to your 'clients.' And you shall die as he did. NOW STAND __**UP**__ BY GOD."_

Barristo stood, quivering in the frozen wind. Clarissa stepped foreward and pulled the pilfered sidearm from the lisard's holster. "You were never worthy of such a weapon…. Just as Arixa was not worthy of such a death."

She stepped backward, a gentle sizzling _click _issuing from both weapons as she primed them. "Goodbye Barristo." The first two shots came from Clarissa's standard sidearm, hitting the lizard in both kneecaps, chips of bone splintering outward in a sizzle of blackened flesh as the high energy pulses impacted with the joints. "There's your creative license, compadre." Clarissa quipped, her teeth glinting fiercly as the lizard dropped forward onto his shattered knees, a howl of pain rising upward into the gunmetal grey sky. The final shot came from the lizard's pilfered assault pistol, and impacted in a flash of indigo light on the lizard's forehead.

"Who was that?" Clarissa turned to see Shiva walking toward her; an ionic pulse rifle cradled casually in her arms. "A guy who double crossed me." She returned, flexing the fingers of her left hand and sliding the glove back into place.

"Ouch. I almost feel sorry for him. Zach says we're almost ready to go…the convoy drivers all put up a fight like a bunch of idiots…all we've gotta do is plant a beacon or two for pickup and we can go." The bat turned and called over her shoulder, "I'll see you on the _Malarkey." _

Clarissa pressed a few buttons on the amber screen and watched as her bomber swung into view, it's canopy raising to admit her slightly shivering form. Clarissa clambered in, cranked up the blowers to full, and closed her eyes, deciding to dose until she was given the 'all clear' command….


	4. A Question of Trust

Tenth Circle:

Created By: Alexander Cole Page 6 of 6

_Apologies for the delay. I've been working on this section for weeks and here on the 5__th__ of January at 1:42 in the morning is the best I could come up with. _

An unlikely Ally

_Clarissa's Log: _ "_As missions go, this one was easy. A bit too easy in my opinion. Call it paranoia, a trick knee, or just a fucked up psych profile, something about the entire thing stinks worse than a skunk with B.O. (not that they actually smell but the analogy works…) To put it bluntly it feels staged… and unless I play my cards right my act may be cut short permanently…._

Clarissa had written the thoughts down hours ago but the memory of the mission still swirled through her mind. She remembered with grim satisfaction the look on Barristo's face as she had pulled the trigger, had watched as the pulse of energy simultaneously tunneled and burn through the cranium as the body flew backward, arms wind-milling as if he had been attempting to ward off death as it sped toward him.

She remembered the bitter cold which had wrapped around her with an almost inhuman speed, somehow managing to penetrate the layers of fabric which comprised her cold suit despite the thermal field generator clipped to her belt.

_The wonders of modern electronics… _she mused with a snort

Her mind flickered back to the visage of the cat who had removed her much prized middle finger. Ordinarily Clarissa would have found the irony in this small gesture uproariously funny. _Course… Irony is a fickle thing. She's a bitch in a way… _ Clarissa raised the hand to eye level peering at it, her tail swishing in mild interest as she reclined on the bed.

"What to do, what to do…" She sighed aloud, staring up at the ceiling which was somehow covered with grime despite it's perpendicular relationship to the floor. Upon arriving in the upper atmosphere of Hypoxia the two ships had vectored away from the planet at high speed, aiming to put as much distance between themselves and the burning wreckage of the convoy as possible. Clarissa was still attempting to figure out what idiot had planned the damn operation in the first place, the armaments had been pitifully light in her opinion, all it would have taken to take out the convoy was one or two sweeping passes with the Valkeryie's rear cannon batteries and the entire force would have been reeling

To put it bluntly there had been no need for the 'blind drop' (as Zachary had so eloquently put it ) in the first place, simply drop a few carpet bombs on the 'base'; which really had been nothing more of an outpost in Clarissa's opinion, the damn place only had a class 1 security field and 13 lightly armed guards.

Of course she had held her tongue while the German Shepherd had dropped the credits into her hand, somehow she thought he wouldn't take too kindly to her giving him tactical advice on her very first mission.

_Damn military brats…damn this boredom…_

Clarissa jumped up and finally decided she'd had enough. Enough sitting around, contemplating matters which had long since passed out of her field of consciousnesses, enough twiddling her thumbs. It was time for _action!_

She was already in the lift on her way to the docking port which would allow her to cross into the other craft when the part of her brain which served to generate sarcasm decided to relate the obvious, that A: Moving from one ship to another was not at all likely to relive her sense of boredom, and B: Boredom follows Artic foxes like the plague.

Of course she was in the Malarkey's hangar bay by the time the last word of the thought had flitted across her consciousness. _Figures…might as well explore a bit anyway... _ The hangar bay lights were set to half illumination perhaps to reflect the fact that it was 1100 hrs by the digital clock above the far door, or more likely to conserve power.

The vixen's feet carried her across the hangar bay floor, into the elevator and presently she arrived on the Malarkey's bridge. The room was almost completely dark and seemed to be deserted. Not that she had expected to see anyone on the bridge at this late hour but it had been worth a try. A series of viewports at the far end of the chamber admitted a soft cheery glow from the surrounding stars, and the control panels glittered fiercely, their multicolored lights playing across the ceiling in a distorted swirl reminiscent of a Rorschach test.

"Just so you know the controls are locked." Clarissa jumped and stumbled backward into the chair of a nearby station in surprise. The voice had come from the captain's chair which she had assumed to be empty. Zachary dressed in a pair of tan shorts and a muscle shirt swiveled around to stare balefully at her before turning around once again to observe the stars flitting past.

She recovered quickly and dropped down a small step to join him. "What are you doing up at this ungodly hour?" "Same could be said for you."

"I asked first."

Zachary's eyes lit in a triumphant grin as he said, "I'm higher ranking than you."

Clarissa's eyes lost their playful air and she said, "I was…bored."

The German Shepherd nodded slowly, a little unsettled by the sudden change in Clarissa's mood.

"I need to ask you a question, and regardless of your views on the audacity of said question I will require an answer."

"That depends upon the question you pose to me."

Zachary rolled his eyes and continued. "I saw the way you killed that lizard on Hypoxia at the end of the mission…Barristo you said? " Clarissa nodded curtly. "There was…a death back on the station…something involving a ferret and a delayed drug payment. You were the one sent to collect?"

Clarissa nodded again and asked, "How did you know about Arixa-"

"I know many things."

There was silence as Clarissa fumed momentarily and then waved a hand for him to continue. "What I want to know is, how did a simple mission like that end up requiring the involvement of the Draxel Coalition's Outer rim finance officer?"

Clarissa had risen by this time and was leaning against the far wall, clenching and unclenching her right fist in an attempt to keep her anger in check. _He's treating me like a fucking ROOKIE, like some scared little girl who can't pull her own freaking weight when the time comes…" _ Her thought patterns ran in this direction for several minutes and so it was a surprise when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

Her ears flattened against the back of her head as she spoke, "That two timing bastard fed my records to her, I don't know how he did it…but he's paid in spades." His eyes bore into her's for a long moment and then a patronizing sigh exploded from his chest. "_WHAT?_!" She exploded her jaw muscles quivering as she clamped down on the insult that had queued up directly behind the first shouted word.

Zachary forced himself not to respond in kind to this display of open hostility, she was on edge, who wouldn't be at (he checked his watch) a quarter after midnight. "You began your career in the inner rim worlds correct?"

"Yes I _did." _She spat. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Mercenary work on the inner and outer rim systems is like night and day. In the wealthy inner world section they've got rules and regulations, you meet a contract manager, send them your files, they review them either they hire you or they don't; what matters is that they're obligated by the Contract Regulation Agency to keep those records private, or to destroy them if they are of no further use.

The electronic records are marked with a 'flag' and if they spread the records around you're legally free to kill them or to wait for the CRA to come after them. The Outer rim has no CRA monitoring stations out there because the agency's too damn scared to sink any funds into a station which is likely to be attacked in the first year…huge liability risk you see."

Clarissa closed her eyes momentarily and groaned. "_Shhhhhhhhhit!"_

"_I walked right into her palm…"_

"Here you _always_ use aliases, _never _give real information, and the only things they'll know are what you tell them. You just didn't know…and now you've just gone from the frying pan into the fire."

"Thanks for adding another shoe in case the first 1500 don't decide to drop…" Zachary continued, "The cat mentioned something about your father and a debt he owed them…I'd guess your dad was involved in big business of some sort?"

For the first time since he'd seen her a note of pride crept into her voice. "Hell…Big doesn't even begin to describe it. Ever heard of Solax energy crystals?" The dog frowned and then his eyes lit up. "Yes…actually yes I have, Solax crystals are used for fusion generators in space stations all around the galaxy right? Terribly expensive though."

"My father was the first…the first to find one, and recognize it's potential use for regulation of the matter stream and output carrier waves in modern fusion reactors. He'd always told me that he'd had to defend himself with an old human model revolver." She stopped momentarily as the memories began frothing like bubbles toward the surface.

"We were wealthy once…and proud. Hell I was actually a happy teen at one time, on the athletics department at my boarding school, did marksmanship…"

"But he never told you the real truth did he. Didn't want his beautiful daughter to think that he'd ever needed an equivalent of the human Mafiosi to get started. He didn't want to lose you."

"No…he didn't. The rest of the family-and we're a _big _group; they'd known. They didn't act any different around me but…I'd heard a good number of angry holo link conversations late at night. I'd hacked his feeds out of curiosity. Nothing specific was ever mentioned but…they were scared. They didn't trust him, and he was quite forgetful when it came to paying off debts. And by the time they'd stopped sending agents requesting payments…it was too late… The last package they sent was a fuel air bomb."

"Christ." Zachary swore. "And I'll bet that they transferred the debt over to you."

"I could have paid the debt off then despite the size-if I'd been able to access my dad's funds but they're restricted access until I hit my 30's…"

Zachary had flopped back into the chair by this time and Clarissa had drawn her knees up to her chin, her bone white hands locked around her ankles in a characteristic defensive gesture.

"The cat mentioned something about your 'previous attempts' at paying off his debt. What-" He stopped as she had suddenly stood up, her eyes blazing with renewed fury, directed not at him but at something or someone far back in her history. Suddenly she sighed heavily, shoulders slumping, and the years seemed to show themselves upon her frame, the sheer weight of those experiences and memories crushing down upon her.

"I can't tell you." The words came out in a sharp bark of pain and he saw her hand almost unconsciously glide toward her abdomen as if she had been directed to show 'where it hurts' by a gynecologist.

"I just-I-I…" She stopped and looked at him, tears shimmering in her eyes. He nodded, feeling a lump developing in his throat. She would tell him when she was ready.

After a moment she continued in a noticeably more level tone, "Do you know anything about the feline?"

"She's quite feared in this part of the galaxy and her power base extends into the heart of the Inner Ring system, that's where all finances are kept. All she is, is a glorified accountant who wields power mercilessly. Course these are rumors but-."

"Thanks."

He stopped. "You've given me more than you know." The look she sent him was fleeting but he thought he saw a glint of; (if it had been nothing else) _respect_ glimmering in the back of her irises.

Zachary rose and began making his way toward the door, sleep beckoned with it's promise of a better tomorrow. "Remember…1500 tomorrow afternoon. Undock then." Her hand grasped his shoulder with surprising strength. "What we said…it is not to leave this room." He turned to face her, and for a moment found himself devoid of all the witticisms that normally bubbled to life at moments like these.

"I'm _trusting_ you, Zachary." "Alright. I understand." He said a little throatily, unsettled by the danger held within the vixen's gaze. _God help me if I talk._

As the elevator deposited Clarissa onto the hangar level for the last time that night, she wished for the umpteenth time that this…all of it had been a dream. This life, the ships, the bodies, all had been some brutal nightmare which she'd wake from presently.

"_But of course" _the sardonic segment of her brain offered as she flopped upon her bed, _"It's never a dream when we want it to be."_

6

Created By: Alexander ColePage 6 of 6 


	5. Zenia

Zenia

The rain had been driving down in sheets for over a week, inundating the quiet neighborhood with water. The grass had been given a thorough soaking, enough to last it for weeks if the sun did not begin pulling the moisture out of the soil the following morning.

Water collected in pools on the sidewalks, the neighborhood's drainage systems were unequipped to handle such a violent shower at this time of the year. A thunderclap banged overhead like the report of a Howitzer as a black hovercraft, sleek and powerful and with tinted windows trundled down the lane and stopped at the house at the end of the block.

The powerful growl of the Nighthawk's Alunda-2 propulsive motors went unnoticed; no one in their right mind would be in a motor vehicle in this weather. Unless of course they were up to no good. The neighborhood's automated security systems would have tagged the car immediately-had the vehicle shown up on any of its 230 networked scanners. It helped to carry a scrambler-field generator under the hood when on a debt collection mission within a 'secure' gated community.

All Draxel-owned vehicles had this piece of technology under the hood. A experimental military grade afterburner-and a self destruct sequence which could be triggered if the craft fell into the hands of the law, the enemy…or if the person monitoring the craft's progress wished it. This new addition had helped to stop any late night excursions for takeout.

Four figures exited the vehicle, which remained idling at the curb, their trench coats flapping in the stiff wind. The red-tailed hawk closed his door with a barely audible click, turning his face upward to view the turbulent sky. A young calico feline seemed to pour herself from the car, stretching momentarily before closing the door as her two other compatriots emerged from the black tinted vehicle. A black bear and a gorilla glared at the house until the feline clicked her fingers and the group moved in a body toward the building. All wore black leather gloves

_Ding-Dong_

"_Mercs blow down the door, only debt collectors knock." _ The feline had to suppress a chuckle as the thought flitted through her mind. Of course her amusement never once registered on her face. Smiles were for the weak. And she was as strong as any of the males who worked with her. Zenia was no ordinary accountant. She was the Draxel Coalition's ace-in-the-hole, the best of the best. She served as a warning to potential customers, an example of the debt collector that would be sent once an account reached state 3.

Stage three, or Terminal Debt Accumulation, if one wished to utilize the more proper accounting term was the point at which the client's debts had remained unpaid for such a span of time as to require non monetary payment. This could be in many forms, property, houses, cars, ships, and in special cases…family.

Zenia considered ransoms to be extremely inelegant but enjoyed the looks of fear when they received a bloody package in the mail containing a finger, or toe of their loved one. And of course personal debt collection, rare though it was, was one of the things she lived for.

The door opened, slowly, cautiously, which was odd, given the fact that Zenia had instructed Asiago the Red-Tail and his two cohorts to shift into the camera's blind spot, three feet away from the door. But then, perhaps the death-cloud which Zenia swore she could see on some of her victims had been visible to the rabbit in the mirror that evening.

He'd known that running was futile, after all the Draxel Coalition had contacts and weasels (literally in come cases) in almost every organization which had access to public records. It helped to have a leg up in some cases.

The rabbit's second mistake (after making the largest one of actually _opening _the door) was to make an attempt to cry out, to warn his wife and his son. A small Shrike throwing knife, one of the three she carried along with the DalTEC pistol, was in her hand, loose almost before the poor buck could even draw breath.

Her voice was cultured, a curious blend of French and British, which flowed like liquid honey off her tongue as she began. "Now mister Balderas we wouldn't want a disturbance would we? I'd recommend proceeding with me to the sitting room where we can talk civilly, unless you wish for blood to be shed."

Amazingly, Zenia, despite her years at the Kay-Nine academy of elite defense did not recognize the rabbit's fear for what it was- a ruse. Still, as the rabbit pulled a sonic pistol from the small of his back her reflexes remained as sharp as ever. The rabbit's aim was quite good, evidence of his years in the Dalgathian army's infantry. Still, this was no battlefield. And she was no ordinary opponent. The pulse of compressed sound which would have caused an immediate and severe sound burn if a direct hit had been established, merely whistled harmlessly out into the darkness as Zenia completed her sidestep maneuver; which despite the fact that she had been completely un prepared, she still did with a grace that would have shamed an Olympian Gymnast.

She allowed her momentum to carry her sideways for a moment, then jumped, and spun in mid air, her hand slashing down in a lethal arc, even as the rabbit's hands moved feverishly to correct his aim. Her hand, which to the many lovers she'd had in her lifetime had been as gentle as a mother's caress slammed down upon the rabbit's wrist with a hard _snapping _noise. The rabbit cried out and dropped the firearm, as his wrist began to feel like he'd shoved it into a cooking stove.

Despite the fact that sonic pistols are built to have almost no report, muzzle flash, visible vaporous emissions, or recoil, all three henchmen had heard the _clink_ as the weapon dropped to the tiled floor and they emerged from their positions in the shadows, silenced pistols at the ready.

Mr. Balderas's wife Agatha had also heard the sound and had come into the entranceway just as the rabbit found himself being pressed against the wall by Zenia, who held him by the collar of his shirt and had pressed the flat of the blade against his cheek.

The vole made a move toward her husband but was blocked by the horrifying presence of Asiago, who stood in front of the two animals, his hooked beak curving cruelly as his nearly soulless black eyes bore into the eyes of the petrified female who somehow found herself standing her ground despite the thousands of years of instincts telling her to flee into the nearest grassy field available, though that wasn't really an option in suburbia.

After that everything froze for about five seconds. The rabbit, despite the blade pressed against his cheek, still had enough backbone within him be defiant despite the Shrike's cool length pressed against his shining brown fur. _"Haven't you bastards taken enough from my family as it is?!" _

"Almost…" She gestured toward the firearm with a flick of her tail.

The brown bear entered the room and lifted the pistol, examined it with a practiced eye and then in front of the rabbit, began to deftly field strip the weapon, until it was merely a jumble of 10 pieces of metal which he put into a pocket. "That takes care of that miss." He said to Zenia who nodded curtly and then turned back toward the rabbit

"Now, Mr Balderas, if you'll please follow me into the sitting room which your wife has so lovingly prepared we can begin the transaction."

"More like highway robbery or extortion." The rabbit quipped as the group began proceeding down the entrance hall into the lavishly furnished main room.

Asiago couldn't help quipping, "Call it what you like sir, but it does help to stave off boredom." A low chuckle rumbled from the throat of the gorilla who was at the rear of the procession.

The sounds of a battle echoed from the main room and Zenia glanced left as she entered the room to view a 12 year old Labrador retriever (an adopted son for a childless couple perhaps?) sitting in front of a 45 inch holographic screen, playing a copy of Cain & Able: Us vs the Legion; Neurosis Entertainment's latest FPS title. The character on screen was in the middle of switching a Mackenzie and Griever assault rifle to an old M82A3 SASR sniper rifle (gaming companies had been having a field day with human weapons as of late) when the game abruptly paused.

"No sudden moves kid." Asiago said evenly. "This is grown folk's business." The mother's fear for her son burst suddenly like the crest of a breaker wave. "_How dare you talk to my son like that you filthy, ingrate !"_ She halted in mid tirade however, when the bird raised his pistol and played the laser sight across her chest. "Ingrate, maybe, filthy…" he sniffed loudly, "Definitely not. Now over there if you please." He gestured at the couch against the windowless far wall

"My-my son…"

"I'll keep an eye on him mam." There was not an ounce of pity in the falcon's voice, and the mother did as she was told, attempting to hold back tears as she quickly did as the falcon bid her. She knew he would do it, if the strange cat who still held the knife against the husband's throat as she guided him toward another chair ordered him to, or perhaps if he simply took the notion to do so.

The rabbit sat, and the three henchmen spread out, one moving to stand directly in front of the window, facing the wife on the couch across from it, the second moving to block the far hallway and the falcon moving to place a feathered hand upon the shoulder of the boy.

Zenia replaced the knife. All avenues of escape had been covered. Still… "Check please, my feathered friend." The bird holstered his pistol, tightened his grip on the boy's shoulder and pulled a black data pad from one of his many pockets which he operated with one finger, sweeping it in a wide circle around the room before replacing the device from the same pocket from whence it came. "The house's got a security system, a good one, but it's been blinded and gagged. No risk of intrusion."

Zenia purred and slipped the knife into a loop at her beltline.

"Does _she _explain why we've moved three times in the last ten years?" The wife had spoken, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion with a mixture of anger, embarrassment, fear and grief. "I thought we were done with them. You told me so yourself, that we were done with them, _finished _you said." His eyes were downcast, this crushing emotional blow from his wife more painful it seemed than the injury his wrist had suffered.

"Please Agatha, I-" She raised a hand, the years seemed to fall upon her all at once, the suppressed fear, the near constant moving. The schools they'd shuffled their son through. "I hope to god sakes it was worth it. I truly hope it was."

Zenia pulled a WorldCOM communication device from a pocket and handed the instrument to the rabbit. "Please calls your agent hand have him transfer 50 percent of your stocks to this account."

"But…that will ruin the company. Please…I have workers who depend-"He stopped as the blade flickered into her hand again. "Please sir. I won't ask again. The next time you, or your wife or your precious son may end up losing an ear." The looks of shock and horror on their faces almost caused her to laugh but she checked her mirth.

"Besides, I could be drawing the 30 percent from your family's multiple trust funds endowments etc. And your rainy day fund." A crack of thunder pierced the last word. "And guessing from the look on your face you'll have to pull from it. _Heavily." _

The rabbit dialed his accountant's number woodenly, and despite the chameleon's surprise at this large transfer, was able to run the transaction with at least a shred of normalcy.

The rabbit closed the device with a click and handed it to Zenia who placed it in her pocket with a swift movement. She released him and he rose just as she stepped back.

"Are you done with us?"

"Almost."

The rabbit felt his heart sink. "What is to prevent you from somehow calling the police, despite the unlikelihood of them ever pressing charges against the Draxel coalition, or any of us?"

"My word as a gentleman."

"That's not good enough. Word's are given and broken just as often…." She turned and nodded toward the raptor who blinked in response. "Thus…" The bear moved with a speed uncommon of a specimen his size and almost before any of them could move, had pressed a Hypospray against the vole's neck, holding the female down even as she struggled, ignoring the screams of the 12 year old as he attempted to force himself out of the hawk's hold , ignoring the pistol pressed against his chin.

The rabbit rose out of his chair and attempted to rush forward. Neither Zenia nor her cohorts attempted to stop him. _"What did you do to her…" _ His hand pressed against her neck, frantically searching for a pulse.

"She's still alive. Merely in a state of catatonia. I always find that loved ones are worth much more than the word of a mere rabbit." She smiled at the rabbit and his son coldly and then gestured at the trio to release them. All did so, leveling their firearms at the trio as they did so.

The gorilla and black bear left the residence first, leaving Asiago and Zenia alone with the family. She turned to the rabbit. _" La fin"-"It is ended."_ The French words hung in the air, loaded with more arrogant power than the firearms of the entire group combined.

The door then closed and the three were left alone. Outside, the hovercraft had been pulled up to the curb, and the hawk entered the rear passengers compartment. The hovercraft began to rise vertically, a pair of stubby wings and the glow of maneuvering thrusters evident against the night sky. "Good work tonight gentlemen. Your paychecks will be prompt." A ringing issued from the pocket of the soaked hawk next to her and he pulled the datapad out of the pocket and studied it.

"The video feed from Hypoxia has been processed and sent to your servers as requested."

She nodded thanks and promptly turned to face the window. A bolt of lightning flashed not three feet from the vehicle and in that instant Clarissa felt a thrill of joy race through her. The artic vixen was new prey, she would not cower in the dust as the rabbit had. She would be a challenge.

The red tail turned toward zenia and said, "That young pup…he may be a problem. He looked…I can't explain it. .."

"Vengeful?"

"He looked as if he'd rip out your heart the next time he saw you."

Zenia smiled. "Let him try. I'll show him that there's more than one method of skinning a retriever." And with that the Nighthawk flew on into the storm clouds and vanished into the winds like a wraith.


	6. Enemies First Move

_Hello there my peeps, sorry about the delay. this is the second 'act' in the Tenth cirle series. i wnat reviews people. spread this story's reputation around your friends...please. Enjoy. Ohand if anyone can tell me how i should design Zenia's flagship (weapons layout) please do. Toodles_

Tenth Circle Book 2: A Dangerous Game

The Flight of the _Crozier_

As Zenia leaned back in her captain's chair and watched the vixen on the screen work, occasionally rewinding or zooming in close to view some specific detail she had to admit, watching Clarissa fight was poetry in motion.

She was perfect, the way her ship had spiraled down thought the treacherous atmosphere, weaving and bobbing around the chunks of ice speeding thought the jet steam; the approach would have worked, would have completely fooled the scanners of the base-but of course Zenia had foreseen this…after all she had ordered the mission's execution in the first place.

It was perhaps one of Zachary's grandest follies that he was one of the few mercs who actually followed a very loosely defined code of honor; though he denied this reverently. Another problem with the canid was that he had friends.

Not associates, not people the existence of whom he acknowledged…but _friends. _Granted these individuals were very hard to find, some almost invisible…but they were there. Zenia knew that with a well placed COM signals, and about a half million credits in payments he could have had an entire armada at his side in an instant, ready to fight for him-at least till the contract ended or he died. Interestingly enough most of these had been former crewmembers, the group had been quite large before its demise. _Governmental Expulsion… _Zenia snickered.

And not surprisingly he also had enemies, after all any company which was on the Galaxy's top ten list of wanted companies for 7 years straight had to have treaded on some powerful toes during it's operational phase, and they had blazed a trial of destruction through the galaxy, taking contracts from governments and militia's left and right. It had been totally fun, and totally FUBAR (Fucked up beyond All Reason)

Zenia had been surprised when the one individual who had come foreword to 'help her' in her endeavor had been a little known assassin and part time hacker from the inner rim's slowly emerging private-illegal-sector. Black Rose as the cottontail preferred to be called, had been an old girlfriend of Zachary's back when he had been in the _Academia Le Warfare _the place had been French owned, as humans were (strategy wise) one of the most militarily advanced species that the galaxy had ever seen.

They'd been close for a while…and then things went sour. One aborted pregnancy and 1 am spat later, Zachary found himself out of her dorm room and back in his own. He'd never known that he'd made a lifelong enemy out of the rabbit with the mile long legs and a smile that could cut through stone. When she and Zenia had met three years earlier, the rabbit had still been exceedingly beautiful, but quieter than she had been in the academy. She had also been deadlier.

Zenia looked at the ETA gauge and sighed envisioning the rabbit in a long black dress, so lovingly crafted that it would seem as if she'd been poured into it. She felt a flush of heat creep up her pelvis and dug her claws into the armrest. She had to control this, and watch the feed, the information she could glean from it would be paramount to the plans success.

She had worked with the Draxel coalition for 15 years. She had watched it grow and leech the galaxy of millions of credits-not that she'd cared she'd been happy as most of the money had been routed through her 'fingers'. A carefully siphoned quarter percent of 14 quadrillion credits was not bad indeed. It was only fitting then that she should be the one to engineer it's downfall. The company had grown sluggish and inefficient unable to keep track of it's debts…Zenia felt that it was time to start anew. But first it had to go down.

The power base, the personnel, the men 'upstairs' human and anthro…. all would perish. And if she could goad a skilled mercenary into doing a good percentage of the work for her…it would ensure that power would be hers within her lifetime. Rose had called to say that she had information on Zachary and Clarissa's next move-and to invite her to a freeform Jazz concert on Avalon 5. Zenia had picked out the dress already, blood red with 3.5 inch heels to match.

Zenia imagined those dark hands gliding up her back and glared at the ETA gauge. _Hours…hours of travel time to go… _But she could wait. After all this was the first step on a soon to be great journey…and it would not do to rush…not at all

_Clarissa's Log: Memories aren't supposed to cause pain. Or at least if they do the pain shouldn't be like this. I shouldn't be able to hear the sounds of cords hitting flesh, of males straining and puffing in their individual cells. I shouldn't be able to feel the sweat trickling down my brow, the grit which is everywhere, between my fingers, sandpapering my parched lips. _

_I am at once in hell and not. I'm sitting here…on my bed, tears streaming down my face, my throat tight and raw from the sobs I've restrained all this time. People think that things like these can be gotten over…worked through. It can't…"_

_Snick…_

_Snick…_

_Snick…_

As the gleaming silver knife flicked across the stone for what seemed to be the hundredth time, Shiva's ears twitched. Her wings were wrapped comfortably about her chest, in an attempt to stave off the slight chill that ran though the room. Her face bore that pleasantly bored expression of one who has seen the lesson already and wants to throw the nearest heavy object at the speaker. But beneath this atmosphere of pleasant nonchalance…she was terrified.

Clarissa had been sharpening a 5 inch long dagger not five feet from her head for the past hour, her strokes slow and deliberate, once each five seconds, occasionally she might lift the blade, test the edge, spotting some minute imperfection in the weapons cutting surface, and would resume, the slow inexorable movement.

Shiva could felt the hatred flowing off the vixen in waves, in sheets like some hellish spring rain. She could feel the misery and pain, the loss and torment. Perhaps it was the empathic talent she'd inherited from her mother, or her ears, but either way, she could feel the vixen's eyes boring into the back of her head.

She was not the only one entranced by Clarissa's odd behavior, though only one individual had any inkling of what at all might be vexing her at this moment. That individual stood at the head of the briefing room a laser pointer held easily in his right hand pointing at a precise cluster of structures on the surface of a moon many light years from their current position, and was to be their next operating theatre.

Zachary's attention was also divided. One half of his brain was focused solely on the task of maintaining the illusion of coherent speech while the other hemisphere was engaged in contemplating the vixen sitting directly across from him. He didn't need a degree in psychology to see the anger being directed precisely at _him. _

Perhaps she was staring at him because he was a male, perhaps her antagonist had been a German shepherd like himself…it didn't matter. It was none of his business, would probably cause him more pain than it was worth, this curiosity which had landed him in more than his share of scuffles during his youth and which was now bubbling forth like some strange mental percolator…

_Does the whole 'curiosity killed the cat' phrase extend to dogs as well? _His mind flickered back to a statement that Lou whom he had known for over a decade had told him once after pulling him out of a scuffle-which would have soon become a case for the coroner had Zachary's arms tightened around the wolverine's neck another notch: _Mercenaries are supposed to be cautious…not curious. _

He smiled slightly, and then blinked in surprise. The meeting had ended. Apparently his brain's left side had been so efficient in it's work that it had concluded the briefing somehow without his other half finding out.

The vixen was the only one still in the room other than himself. She was standing, her black pants and grey shirt clinging to her body's shape in a not unpleasant manner, arms half-crossed, the knife still in her palm, gleaming enticingly.

For the first time he noticed her legs, long, graceful…well toned. The legs of a dancer, or an athlete. His eyes swept up the pelvis, torso, with it's faint hourglass shape though the curves he saw were slightly more firm than on most females…Zachary deduced that she trained in some fashion. The arms were lithe almost aerodynamic in some strange way. He imagined the slender fingers of her hands wrapping themselves around his throat and shuddered.

He had allowed himself to indulge…to ogle in a way, though he was sure she could not detect it. But perhaps 'ogle' was not correct, he was merely sizing her up, as all males do other males and women do to women. His eyes met hers and he still saw the anger burning there. It had to be diffused lest it be carried along with them during the mission like a stowaway.

Clarissa began, "You awoke me at approximately 1300 hours."

"I apologize, I should have told you that I usually do briefings when missions are…suitably complex that a little forethought is necessary."

"I was however awake at the time so it is of no real importance to me…" Her left ear flicked in annoyance. They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence during which her gaze was locked with his, almost daring him…to do what…he did not know.

Suddenly a thought came to him. Stupid, utterly preposterous…but worth a try. He extended his right hand. "May I see the knife?"

Slowly Clarissa's hands turned the blade till the handle faced Zachary, who could not help noticing the small clear crystal set deep into it's handle. The weld marks looked new. Odd.

The dog took it and placed it in his left hand, placing the other behind his back. With a deft movement he set the knife spinning on his open palm, stopping it's motion expertly with a barely audible _click. _

"It's well balanced." He said before taking a step back. Clarissa made no move toward him so he assumed she was game…or at least interested in his little trick. Zachary set the knife down on the table momentarily and pulled out a specially fitted pair of acturian gloves which were virtually impossible to cut or burn through and were fingerprint proof.

He pulled them on, flexed his fingers, once, twice…and then with a flick of his wrist the knife was in the air. The weapon twirled in midair before being caught once again by his right hand and then he went into a quick series of moves, tossing the knife this way and that, Clarissa's eyes tracking up down left and right, never wavering. She seemed to be waiting for something.

He continued in this manner for a minute or more, going thorough the motions but adding variations, complexities, his eyes locking with hers…the anger was gone…replaced with genuine interest and what he thought was amusement.

He slowed his arms fractionally and flicked the knife upward again with a deft movement of his wrist. It was then that she struck. She stepped forward and with lightning speed grasped the knife as it was in midair_ by the handle, _slipped under his guard and had pressed the flat edge of the blade against his throat.

There was a note of steel in her voice as she spoke, the half amused look was gone; a ruse meant to throw him off. It had worked. His free arm latched onto her other wrist, clamping it into a vise like grip, and she felt him tremble as adrenaline surged through his veins.

"_What game are you playing at…?"_ he hissed through clenched teeth.

"The very same one you attempted to play with me…and lost." Her eyes narrowed and she studied him like a hawk, boring into him with that all-knowing gaze. "I'm not some simpering little girl who's amazed by shining lights and things that whistle and fly. I'm not frilly, I'm not cute and I hate people who treat me that way…who patronize me."

"So this…this isn't about-"He halted as she had stepped down hard on his right foot. "Oh come now, if I'd been angry with you about that I'd have split your trachea at the beginning. Good god, give me some credit."

She saw the faintest glint of anger hinting at the back of his gaze…he had a temper, she was sure of it. One held in check through years of discipline. She felt his grip beginning to tighten and she relented. Slowly she released him from his nearly prone position, as they'd backed up against the table's edge.

"You're fast, but not faster than me. You're strong in body and to some degree in mind. You managed to hold your temper in check….something I find difficult to do…"

She took a step back and looked him up and down appraisingly. "You're a bit of an ass, somewhat cocky…but for a purebred-and I sincerely dislike purebreds-you're not half bad."

Zachary's mouth was parted half in bewilderment, anger and an insane urge to laugh. She had stymied him, had preformed a move he'd not even expected possible for a female…

He saw her turn on her heel and prepare to walk out of the room. Her foot however, on the very first step, snagged on the leg of the table, and before she could react, the vixen had pitched forward her arms wind milling in an attempt to catch herself.

Just as she felt all her perception of balance leave her, as gravity kicked into high gear in an attempt to send her to the floor she felt a pair of strong hands materialize underneath her torso impeding her downward progress.

Zachary's eyes glowed with suppressed mirth as he held her mere inches above the floor. "You're faster than me, weaker than me, and slightly more skilled. But you need a freakin sense of balance…"

"You know you could let me up!" Clarissa growled. Zachary actually pretended to consider it. "Well I could…but then again…I am a bit of an ass." _Whumpph._

Clarissa fell to the floor to the sound of Zachary's low chuckle as he strode out of the room, tail high in the air, the picture of machismo. As Clarissa picked herself up she had to admit…he had been right. Her balance was off. Walking toward the door, she thought she heard him quip in her direction "Remember Clarissa…pride before the fall…" And finally as she made her way into the elevator en route to her ship to prepare to disembark…she smiled.


	7. LaserTag & Jazz

_Readers...yes that's right there,s more. You know once you get chapters back to back from ME that I've hit my stride for the month. There's more where this comes from trust me...I'll just wait for a few reviews before i continue... Guten-tag people_

Laser-Tag

Clarissa's foot was barely outside the elevator carriage when a bolt of red energy whizzed past her nose. She ducked instinctively and looked for the shooter. To her surprise she saw Shiva hovering in mid air, slowly turning.

"_What the hell?!"_ Clarissa thought, before dashing into cover behind a triangular stack of boxes. Her heart was pounding furiously, her hand on the hilt of her knife. She was pressed against the containers, her eyes level with the logo of an arms dealer she'd stolen a shipment from 3 years pervious. The harsh acrid smell of the crate's anti scuff coating filled her nostrils. What was going on; had the bat gone rogue, was she trying to take over the ship?

Clarissa didn't know and at that point didn't care. She gathered her legs out from under her and prepared to volley over the lowest crate and attempt to sprint toward the airlock and get to her ship. Then she could undock and-

She stopped. Quiet had settled over the hangar bay. Clarissa didn't hear the flaps of wingbeats any longer, perhaps the bat had landed. The vixen peered at the ceiling above her, no there was nothing within view. This was getting weirder and weirder by the second.

Suddenly a pair of large ears and a curious face with equally inquisitive eyes peered over the crate. Clarissa cried out in surprise, "_AAhhh!... wha-_ "

"You know in a game of laser tag you're not supposed to spot-camp for more than 15 seconds. Granted you're good but…" Shiva flicked an ear for emphasis, "You're not quiet enough to hide from my ears."

"L-laser t-tag?" Clarissa sputtered as she attempted to get her heart under control. The bat cocked her head to the left. "Yes laser tag, kind of like tag only with a sort of stun pistol. Didn't you play it when you were in nappies?"

"No… I've never played."

"Well now's a good time to learn. This is a bit small for an arena, but there are plenty of places to hide." The bat's face was eager, surprisingly so. Clarissa had to wonder at the bat's age, she couldn't be any older than say, late teens, perhaps 18 or so if one preferred to use the human calendar.

Clarissa's mind was still reeling. "Wait, isn't there a mission…" Shiva laughed and pointed at her chronometer. "It's 1415, silly. I got ready ahead of time; my sniping kit is in the cargo compartment of my Mercury GH-23."

Clarissa looked at the ceiling momentarily. She had prepared last night anyway, her assault rifle ammo and the weapon itself was in a specially designed locker behind the A-12's pilot compartment. Her twin pistols along with the holster assembly and charge-pacs were down in the hold/armory/cargo bay/hangar (Clarissa heartily wanted to upgrade to a larger ship within the next year, the space issues were getting ridiculous.)

Clarissa rolled over onto her stomach and rose, looking at the bat fully for the first time. Siva was thin but well proportioned, and the torn jeans and red shirt with a black exclamation point gave her the air of your typical teenager. But something told Clarissa that the bat was much deeper than that.

Clarissa cracked her neck and said "I'd love to play but…time is of the essence. Where would our fearless leader be at the moment?"

"Z's on the bridge probably mapping the route and entering it into the main guidance computer. Half the time the thing's on autopilot…this explains how we can be on the wing and not piloting the ship."

Clarissa turned and swept the upper landing with her gaze. As she walked back toward the elevator she quickly said, "Shiva…target .45 degrees north ….78.98 degrees west give or take a few degrees. He's grinning like an idiot." Shiva suddenly sprang into action. Her pistol snapped upward and to the left and before the leopard on the landing could even blink, he had been nailed square in the forehead. Clarissa smiled thinly.

"I just hated to see him sitting there like the cat that swallowed the canary." Shiva grinned as Lou began walking back down the staircase. A hand was pressed to a spot on his forehead. "Geeze that smarts. Remind me never to play against you again." Shiva shrugged and waggled her ears in response.

The leopard turned to Clarissa. "Why'd you feed her positional data anyway?" The vixen's eyes swept down the green bomber jacket, over which a heavy armored vest was tightly strapped. A pair of light Myrtana plasma SMG's were strapped to his waist, a short range Vicarious pulse cannon attached to the magnaplate on the leopard's back.

Clarissa's hand strayed to the knife at her hip. Her eyes bore into his. Metal creaked around them as the ship's superstructure contracted in the heat of a nearby star.

"I swear if this was a staring contest I'd bet my money on the vixen…green eyes are hard to stare down." Shiva quipped.

The leopard chuckled and held out a hand. "You're crafty…I like you already. So you're the new member eh?"

Clarissa grasped the proffered hand, attempting to keep her eyebrows from lifting. This was getting weirder and weirder by the second. " Zachary didn't introduce you….typical. He can be a bit thick headed when it comes to certain things. I'm Lois, just call me Lou. Resident demolitions and hacker and all around good guy…well in most situations in which people don't piss me off. This…" he gestured toward the bat who gave a cheery little wave. "Is Shiva…the one teenager who can out snipe most mercs in the system."

"We've met."

They were interrupted as the elevator's scarred doors opened and Zachary stepped out. "Ah, good you're all here. I just got the signal from the bridge, the troop carriers are waiting about half an hour's travel from here. Let's move people. Launch and form up."

As the three headed toward their ships Zachary in passing quipped "Don't trip on your way in…" Clarissa rolled her eyes and headed toward the airlock.

Clarissa's heart skipped a beat as her hands flicked the engine test switches and she felt the energy turbines rumble through the controls. She pulsed the throttle once, just to hear the loud howl shudder through the ship's innards. This ship was _hers_ it was her sanctuary. And it preformed for it's master…

The docking clamps disengaged and the _Valkeryie _surged ahead of the _Malarkey's _expansive bulk. Clarissa powered up the COM system and initialized the scanners, setting them for wide-beam intensive mode.

_All units this is Lead…please check to verify working COM's over. _

_Lead this is Shiva, call sign Deadlock reporting in, over. _

_Lead this is Lou, call sign Pulse reporting in, over _

_Lead this is Clarissa, call sign Hotfoot Reporting… _

As Clarissa locked the throttle and set the ETA gauge she had to admit, this was cool. She was back in the saddle so to speak. Her companions were interesting, not like the generic assholes that she'd worked with on her other stints with mercenary companies in the past…. Things were…for the moment…good.

Jazz

Zenia _loved _good music. She had to admit, since the human's inception into the galaxy's planetary roster; 150 years ago the field of music and art had exploded outward. Jazz and classical music had become exceedingly popular across the system, vulpines on the scholar planets of Delarosa VI, felids in the pleasure districts of Carnalis XIII and of course humans on Earth partook in the cultural explosion.

The human's first contact with the anthro universe had been equally explosive-although not intentionally. The 'God's Ring' Supercollider had been built on the dark side of the moon in the year 2120; it's planning having taken place during the 2090's. The earth had been going through great turmoil both politically and climactically, global warming was now in full swing, the polar ice caps having almost disappeared; wars over natural resources had reached a fever pitch.

Thus when the US and Europe banded together in the project, the population of the world took notice, no scientific endeavor of this magnitude had ever been attempted in the known history of man…

On December 25th 2120 the ring was test fired. Or rather, it's test firing was attempted…

The forces contained within the 2000 mile wide ring of super magnets were too much for the frame of the structure despite the safeguards and countless simulations run during the planning phase. And evidently it was too much for the boundaries of space-time and reality as well. A huge expanding globe of incandescence had surrounded the moon for a half hour, and when the light had faded somewhat…the D-gate was born.

Coincidentally an experimental reactor had gone critical on a similar moon in the anthro universe. A year later, probes from both sides were sent through, satellites on the human side had been picking up traffic with growing wonderment, as had COM stations on the Anthro side-they had to know what was out there.

And so the two sides met. The humans thought the Anthros to be a great cosmic joke, as if God had finally decided to give animals the upper hand. After all they were more technologically advanced than humanity could have even dreamed of becoming. The Anthros considered the Humans to be pink skinned relatives of the simians, and during those first years of contact any human envoy to the various worlds was treated to more ape and primate jokes, references and comparisons than could be healthy for one.

But if the humans did have one thing over on the Anthros it was sheer military experience. The humans had fought more military conflicts in 1000 years than the Anthros had fought in 50,000. The humans and anthro people exchange much. The vulpines had mastered terraforming and as a gesture of good faith began the immediate process of restoring the planet's atmosphere to previous levels.

And now both universes were reaping the benefits. Or at least that was what the media attempted to project. In reality despite the benefits which had been gained by both sides, the humans had brought a number of more unpleasant 'gifts' to this side of the cosmos.

Profiteering, money laundering both had been around before contact with the humans. Afterward it _exploded_ as the humans knowledge spread like wildfire throughout the system. Thus the Draxel Coalition, The ZarCon Group and the Monarchy had risen up, with the ZarCon and Draxel companies becoming major players in the undercurrent of lawlessness that was beginning to suffuse through the planets.

The Galactic Police were forced to create new sections from scratch for problems that they hadn't even had. Prostitution, slave labor in some of the more lawless parts… the drug trade…

This was how the Outer and Inner rings were born. The more active-or at least the more _visible_ segments of the criminal population were relegated there-and the segments which were clad in the livery of the political system were allowed a foothold in the Inner-Rim worlds. And the military kept it that way. Unless one

Thus the division was upheld. And life continued…after a fashion. Zenia had been fascinated by this history, but was not upset by the strife that the galaxy was attempting so valiantly to hide. She benefited from it after all.

Rose sat across from her, her hand idly playing with the tip of her right ear, just as she had envisioned her in the shimmering black dress that she swore had turned the heads of every single male in the room. Of course both females had had the same effect on most males. Rose's body had matured even more since her pregnancy which had been aborted during the first 4 weeks. She seemed to have become as with wine…better with age.

And speaking of wine, they were drinking to their health, not excessively as neither favored the thought of hangovers, and both preferred to keep the current number of brain cells they had been born with. They were sharing a bottle of rather expensive 2000 year- De-Vanges white wine. Rose however, was not one for expense when it came to alcohol; she knew that bottles had been bought which were worth over 100,000 credits but upon testing had been found to taste like the dirt the berries had been farmed from.

Thus she favored quality over price and notoriety. Still _this_ was exquisitely crafted, Rose dined upon a bowl of delicately prepared Moroccan Chick Pea soup, her teeth glinting slightly as the silver spoon migrated towards her lips. Rose was an oddity; her family it seemed had begun supplementing their gene pool with canid DNA strands. Thus she had augmented night vision, a doubled sense of smell and her teeth were a…mix. Canines along with incisors. Along with a digestive tract that could handle both meat and vegetables.

Zenia's own bodily changes were less dramatic but equally visible. Her entire dental alignment was false. Molds of her teeth had been taken, duplicating everything down to the last micrometer. And the teeth had been removed-and replaced with tempered-hardened tritanium steel alloy. The teeth were unbreakable and murderously sharp, and would stay that way even if she chewed on diamonds for the rest of her life. They were the ultimate last defense weapon…and she had tasted blood. And heartily enjoyed it.

"The music here is good. Well presented and lively. I'm almost tempted to tap my feet to the rhythm."

Rose smiled. "I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far." She raised her glass. "To us."

"And to future pursuits." The glasses clinked audibly and the pair's free hands linked across the tabletop. Zenia felt her blood grow hot, and locked Roses eyes with her own. She was the only one who could drive her up the wall with merely a look. They were almost like sisters in a way.

Zenia began. "Are our friends well taken care of?"

"Their mission begins a half hour from now when they are to meet up with a spec-ops team and provide escort to the moon."

Zenia's eyes narrowed in confusion. "But if our plan is to work, you must be there…how-" The rabbit pressed an index finger to Zenia's lips.

"It will take them at least a day to work their way through the city considering the number of roadblocks they've got set up. And I've added my own measures to the facility's systems to slow them down… I had to provide time for us after all…"

Zenia released a barely audible sigh of relief. _Good…they weren't damned…_

Rose continued, "From what I've seen she's quite competent…maybe even a match for me or you."

"Taunt her, goad her… I want her scared…and eventually angry. If we can make her hate the Draxel coalition she'll be all the more willing once the time comes to take it out."

Rose smiled. "I shall do so. I have information from a contact on their families…a few well placed hits could be useful."

"Not yet…that must be the final blow…the thing to tip her over the edge. Start slow…work toward big."

The two could talk with relative freedom as the rabbit had placed a scrambler underneath the table to fool any recording devices…and besides Zenia's wing of the D-coalition owned the place. But then again precautions were always necessary. Their talk moved on to other matters…politics…the weather.

They talked as lovers did, although most lovers weren't attempting to plan the eventual takeover and conversion of a crime empire during a simple dinner date.

They worked their way thorough desert and then rose. Zenia licked the last of her freshly whipped cream from her lips. "I might have enjoyed that you know." Rose quipped as they walked out the door.

"Well perhaps tonight…you can." Zenia's eyes glowed seductively in the half-light of the parking lot. They stood next to the blue Banshee 2-seater that Rose owned, the cool breeze swirling around them, causing the cloth of their respective dresses to shift in the wind, making them appear as wraiths…although no apparitions were ever _this_ beautiful.

"Let's go while the night is still young…and celebrate. I-I haven't seen you in over a month. and-" Zenia's eyes sparkled in an uncharacteristic show of true emotion.

Rose smiled "We have time… I've got a small summer residence on the other side of town…we'll go there…" Zenia nodded and the pair climbed into the Banshee which rose from the ground momentarily and screamed upward in a vertical spin before flipping over, leveling out and rocketing northwest at high speed.


	8. Precognition, Landing & A Lover's tryst

_**Hello there readers…Alright so the wait was 2 weeks or so…these things take time. Don't worry this updates nice and long and juicy…and if any of you males wanted to get to see Zenia and Rose getting 'hot and heavy' it comes in later in this chapter…I didn't do it out of vulgarity, merely because I thought I would have to be honest with you…you do not hold back with me…I do not hold back with you. Also in this section you'll see how the knife (and the crystal) will come in to play later on in the story…**_

**Pre-Mission Precognition**

…_And her mouth was open, waves of sound, of hate pouring from her throat, she would kill her, rip her throat out with her own bared teeth… Her hands had twisted into claws, thrust slightly outward, she needed to hurt something, someone. _

_Anything to remove the pain/loss/fear/emotion which had blossomed in her chest. She was howling something unintelligible but her brain couldn't comprehend it. Her right hand sprang down to grasp the hilt of her dagger which was somehow red-hot. The palm grazed the weapon's smooth handle and-._

_ Lead this is Hotfoot, please respond, I say again Hotfoot please- _

Clarissa's eyes sprang open and her hand reflexively reached for the COM switch, somehow the damn thing had been on 'silent'.

_ Yes, Lead…status? _

The vixen attempted to clear her head and her voice at the same time.

_For a second there I could have sworn you'd fallen asleep at the stick…tried hailing you 3 times before you picked up. _

Clarissa's hand reached for the tuning slider as she spoke, _ Stupid switch was on silent…must have flicked it off as I dozed…sorry. _

_ Not a problem Hotfoot…I picked up the two transport's IFF transponders five minutes ago, we'll be in range within 15 minutes or so. Hold formation and disengage that autopilot. _

_ Roger lead. _

_ Oh and…try to stay awake. _

She set the COM system to the 'float' position and disengaged the autopilot, her shaking hands just barely managing to graze the shutoff toggle before wrapping her hand around the flight stick as she felt another surge of loss sweep over her. She felt sick to her stomach, her vision swimming, the stars seeming to rotate around her.

_Need…to get…control… _She forced her mind to come back to the present, back from that hell which it had glimpsed in those brief minutes of sleep. Was it a perverted dream of some sort…a…premonition? Her breathing slowed…and then she noticed the slight weight in her lap.

The knife was somehow out of its sheath and sitting on her lap, it's blade impossibly bright in the dim light of the cabin, the jewel set into the handle winking up at her, throwing slight light on the ceiling controls.

Clarissa felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

_What was going on here…how had the knife gotten out of her pocket? Had she somehow removed it during the dream? What was this anger that was pulsing through her veins, this sense of loss that made her want to slit her wrists with the enticing blade even now._

_Why was she feeling it. Was it some premonition, a harbinger of things to come…_

'What does it mean…" she said aloud, momentarily removing her hand from the throttle and rubbing her eyes. _What does it mean…_

She placed her hand upon the knife's handle and placed it back in the sheath, and as she did so, the cabin lights flickered…and the briefest of tremors ran up her arm, and for an instant light flickered from underneath her palm. The light was the purest shade of green she had ever seen, almost matching the color of her eyes.

She blinked and everything was normal again. Perhaps she had imagined it. She told herself this, willed it to be true. _It's just a stupid dagger…nothing special…the dream was just a misplaced memory…a very vivid one. _In the back of her mind however…she knew that she had seen something meant only for _her_ eyes, however cryptic it might have been….

As her blood began to cool a line of poetry shifted unbidden through her mind… _"And we see but through a glass darkly...the radiance of the Fates fleeting in it's brilliance…as none may see their fate till they art utterly crushed…_

Had she seen her death? Would she be 'crushed' by the sheer weight of her future decisions? Her eyes narrowed and she felt adrenaline flood through her veins. No…not her.

_Never her…_

**Breaching The Wall.**

The pilot of the second troop transport squinted as the sun's harsh light streamed in through the canopy. After having spent the last month or so of his shift's cycle in deep space he was unused to the un muted light of any nearby star, thus it was within some relief that he engaged the polarizer filters, dimming the light. The human leaned back in his chair and sighed. What f-ed up deity thought that _he_ of all people should end up working with _them?_

_Furry assed bastards_. He'd grown up on one of the drifter colonies, Albertan V, and they didn't take stock in the Anthro's trade, thought them to be pompous stuck up abominations, this was becoming less and less possible as the races intermingled and the gears of the economy ground him in-between their teeth. The humans who lived in the inner rim systems with their wealth and ever growing power, they kowtowed to the animals, 'yes-sir, thank you-sir, may I lick your boots and unmentionables sir'…_not him. _

_Goddamn buncha cowards that's what they are. Ignore the damn technology gap and within a year we'd be running __their__ asses into the ground. Never in my life thought I'd end up talking to a German Shepherd on the COM-line…._

Norris's thought train was interrupted as he felt a gloved hand tap him on the shoulder and suppressed a sigh.

The co-pilot was trying to get his attention-_again. _Never mind the fact that the transport he was piloting seemed to have been built with the least effective stabilizer system known to man. Never mind the fact that the oxygen intermix levels which the copilot's duty it was to monitor were off, which had begun to make him as well as the 20 SPEC-OPS troop members in the rear of the vehicle lightheaded…combat effectiveness was probably dropping with each tap on his shoulder.

"_What is it Higgins?"_ There was an iron note in the pilot's voice a sort of, 'if you touch my shoulder one more time I'll make you lose a finger kind of thing' which amazingly the young man had ignored the last seven times he'd tapped the pilot.

"Why'd you turn on the polarizer-I haven't seen a decent sunrise in over a week."

Norris felt his pulse rise and resisted the urge to pull the copilot's eject switch-you weren't _supposed_ to be able to do it from the forward consoles of these ships, after all what easier way was there to murder a copilot-but then Norris had been a pilot for several years, and knew a few ways to hack the supposedly un-hack able OS that the ships used.

"I polarized the canopy because the sunlight is too harsh for my eyes…does that satisfy you?"

"But I-"

_Beep…beep-beep-_ The pilot turned and punched the COM button, grateful to have to interact with anything other than the idiot behind him, even if that 'thing' was a dog.

_ Lead to transport one, in-city landing sites are inaccessible…I advise touchdown at designated coordinates… _

Norris watched as a set of rough landing coordinates displayed on his canopy's integrated HUD along with a wire framed topographical map. His hands fluttered over a small qwerty keyboard as he relayed the information to the other pilot who had been riding his tail the entire trip.

_ Lead…why the change in coordinates? _ The man attempted to keep his voice level, but between ignoring the copilot who was tapping him on the _same shoulder_ for chrissakes and keeping the ship level it was difficult to keep his contempt hidden.

_You'll see when you land. Lead out. _

Norris sighed and turned momentarily to yell back into the group of uniformed soldiers behind him-these men who were under his command. "Change of plans. Our primary landing site has been deemed inaccessible…we'll be landing in a few minutes…brace yourselves boys, landing thrusters on these things can be a bitch if you factor in the recoil."

A chorus of ratcheting noises told him that his men had already begin winching themselves in tight to their harnesses in preparation for the descent. Norris could smell the scent of a challenge in the air and he relished the thought of battle.

This was why he'd joined the military in the first place…he was a man of action, not of words. _The hunt is on…_

**Lust Interrupted**

Zenia was always in control. She could keep a cool head when in a firefight, could negotiate with drug lords from systems more ruthless than the worst the Draxel Coalition had ever come up with. All left her unfazed.

But this…her hands clenched the sheets convulsively as she rocked her hips upward slightly to afford her partner better access…this was the one thing she could not resist. A long slow moan was ripped from her throat and she looked downward to see the rabbit coming up for air.

Rose seemed to delight in playing her lover like a violin, teasing her to new heights of ecstasy, testing the limits of her sanity. The rabbit's teeth glinted in the soft light as she smiled up at her. "I think I made you hit a high note…perhaps I can use you like a flute and we can go on a galactic tour."

Zenia rolled her eyes and attempted to gain control over her body once more. "H-however tempting that might seem I- " Her words died in her throat as Rose locked her mouth again…and again Zenia's mind was unhinged. _Goddammit she loved this…she could do it for days…the months of waiting…it had all been worth it…_

Rose lifted her mouth away and journeyed upward, blazing a trail of fire, ending it at Zenia's trembling lips. Somehow the two were complete opposites in public, Zenia commanding and cold, Rose quiet and subdued…but in bed the roles reversed.

She felt her body beginning to surge for the 5th time that night (her endurance was becoming better) when the building's COM handset chimed. Rose pressed her lips almost painfully against Zenia's before arising from the bed and picking up the handset. She listened and then slammed the handset down, loosing a low curse at the ceiling.

"What is it?" Zenia purred, allowing her tail to rise up into the air in a graceful S-shape.

"Apparently Clarissa and her band have moved slightly faster than expected… they're on approach to the base. Things are ready but we can't take chances…I'll have to move early."

"Damn it all…"

Zenia sighed heavily and curled up on the bed watching silently as her love showered quickly and then began to dress, the body suit, the armor, an old antique plasma rapier at her waist-though that was not the only weapon at her disposal, Zenia had made sure that the rabbit's specially outfitted cruiser was well stocked.

After all Rose's next actions would make her the spear thrust that would start the war. Twenty minutes passed and the rabbit appeared from the bathroom fully dressed with a grim half smile on her face.

Zenia arose, nude, ignoring the slight chill-the least she could do was accompany her lover to the door. They strode slowly through the living room-Zenia had a hope that if their plans fell through that they might retire here, before starting again, from scratch.

However this was unlikely. She had planned for too long...worked too hard. The chips were down, all she had to do was play her hand to perfection. At the door, Zenia's emotions broke and she kissed the black rabbit slowly, tenderly, dotting both cheeks and her nose before lingering on her lips.

Rose's hands were trembling as she pushed her away gently. "You almost make me want to give up and stay."

"I-I almost forgot…"

Rose lifted the feline's chin , bringing them to eye level. "I'm here to help you remember."

Zenia smiled gently. The door opened and a driving wind from off the lake entered the door. "Give her hell…"

"I will…" Above rose, a ship half the size of a football field materialized, it's long arrow like shape an almost perfect likeness of Zenia's _Crozier _– the two ships were sisters after all, hull castings made from the same ore deposits.

Zenia watched as the Rabbit transported onboard and the ship rose into the night sky like a hawk. After the craft had disappeared into the night sky Zenia closed the door, walked into the bedroom ad collapsed upon the bed once again.

_Damn…_

Even as the weight of her emotions threatened to crush her, she forced herself to remain strong, as within another 24 hours she would be journeying to a Draxel Coalition Defense meeting, she would provide advice, ensure that the necessary improvements would be within the organizations' budget-and pull the rug out from under them with barely a whisper.

Despite her pain she smiled-it would do her good to look the enemy in the eye and see their own defeat mirrored back at her. The feline closed her eyes…and went to sleep, an evil smile lingering on her lips.

_She would win…and then nothing could hold her back._

8


	9. A Line in the Sand

A Line in the Sand

_Let's see...this one took me on upwards of 3 and a half weeks to churn out. Sorry people. That last segment had me stumped as to how to continue. I knew what i wanted to say, it just didn't come out right. Another chapter will be forthcoming folks. This is Jyr, signing off_

_P.s. Oh and for any little bastards who think that they can steal my copywrighted origional work...nuclear ICBMs are targeting your workstations as we speak-Seriously!_

A Line in the Sand

"_There are those who believe that technology's limits are boundless. They think that we will become like Gods knowing and controlling all. There is however one thing that we cannot still fully control much less understand-the mind." –Unknown_

Zachary was not one to make split second decisions. He operated on information, he planned his actions as they were presented to him. This explained why he was still alive. Thus it rankled him when he found himself _lying_ over the COM line. There had been no real _reason_ to land at the alternate LZ, which put them a mile out from the IRIS Biotech facility's main walls.

Or at least no reason which would have made sense to the captain of the lead transport craft. It had started as soon as he's looked at the grid location on the map on the way in. A sense of foreboding, a feeling that they were walking into something that they might not be able to walk-or crawl out of.

He'd heard other mercenaries talk about following their instincts… Zachary however had come to the conclusion that the more dangerous the mission the higher the pay. And oftentimes his fears were unfounded. He could see the buildings now, rising tall above the sands glinting harshly in the near blinding light of the midday sun. The land was featureless sand, terraforming had only begun 2 months previous, according to the geological survey tacked onto the data file he'd received from his hirers; it took that long to add a breathable atmosphere to a planet.

This would soon be a new world, home to colonists who would mine the planet and then begin tilling the soil in an effort to eke out a living as members of the galaxy's 'bread basket' effort. He pitied them. Bound to the ground, to laws, rules. This was virgin land. And the building was a supremely ugly pustule upon it's surface.

_What pustules are colored silver?_ Zachary grinned absentmindedly as he guided his ship in a slow half circle, seeking a place to land. He chose to touch down in the shadow of a gigantic sand dune, precarious he knew, the sand could shift and his ship would be covered by tons of it; the real reason was because it was out of view of the building. Another irrational decision. He was quite sure that if Clarissa or Lou or any of his past crewmembers could look inside his head at the moment, they would swear that he was taking something that they'd _never_ taken.

_Knowing them, they'll ask where I got it from…_

Zachary popped the release lever and began to climb out, standing on the fold out ladder and pressing a combination on a worn keypad sunk into the metal next to the entry latch. A panel drew back to reveal a small weapons locker. He removed the assault rifle and slung it across his back, along with a combat knife, force grenades and a blank datapad. One never knew when an ounce of computing power could come in handy.

The dog climbed down from the ship's side and began to walk toward where the others had begun to land-sensibly located away from the towering dunes. Behind him, he heard a grinding of metal and then a loud roar of air as the ships engines began to cycle air through the coolant vanes in an attempt to rapidly chill the system.

Looking up he would have seen the profile of the Malarkey in geosynchronous orbit above them, it would track their movements and could be used as an emergency transport station if needed. The sound of flapping wings met his ears and he looked around to see Shiva hovering above him. She wore a light green bodysuit with minimal armor , this seemed to be an unsafe choice unless one looked at the fact that she preferred to operate with stealth, brute force was more his and Lou's role, although the cat preferred to send his targets up in smoke…

Shiva landed gently and attempted to adjust the sniper rifle on her back. "_It will conform to your every curve…MY ASS…this damn thing's chafing worse than my size B-" _Zachary coughed and gave her a bemused look. She took the hint and giggled impishly, the light from the sun flashing off her heavily tinted mining goggles. Bats normally wore them at all times but Shiva was blessed with remarkably strong corneas and optic nerves that allowed her brain to process ambient light (eg space stations indoor knighting) with ease. Harsh sunlight however required her to use them, or else risk permanently damaging her eyes.

Lou trotted up and cracked his knuckles. "Gangs almost all here…what's with the alternate landing site, it's more than a mile…" He quieted when Zachary's baleful eyes fell upon him; he would explain later.

Speaking of explanations, what in the _hell_ was he going to tell the captain of the first vessel… He felt his whiskers twitch and looked to see the human who was wearing some sort of powered suit, which gleamed harshly in the light from the sun. It looked to be brand new, an American flag was emblazoned above the spot where the heart would be.

A rifle and pistol were the only weapons he carried, no extra ammo packs were visible on the contraption.

_Perhaps energy is transmitted through the handgrips to the weapons via a fusion generator within the torso? _Zachary kicked himself, he'd have time to pull the specs later, this guy was in charge.

Hair: buzz-cut a toothpick in his mouth the eyes, cold and grey, predatory. This guy was on a first class power trip. Zachary cracked his neck in an unspoken challenge and looked him square in the eye.

"I'd like to know why we changed out LZ in mid flight. My scanners showed nothing out of the ordinary. Power's on, local COMs are online. No emergency beacons or defense drones are deployed…why are we here?!"

He ended it with an odd bark, and Zachary couldn't help but notice that the suit made the human about 5 inches taller than him. He also noticed the five glowing nodules situated where the knuckles would be in each gloved hand. _Ahhhhh…._

He decided to do what he did best- he'd wing it. "My scanners picked up some strange energy fluctuations in the system's power grid, could be a broken line or two. Wouldn't want to fry the paintjob on that beauty."

To their credit, the rest of the team didn't bat an eye-they'd seen nothing strange, but they preferred to follow Zachary's lead-all wanted their pay

The man's eyebrows cranked up a notch-he didn't believe a word. "Bull."

Lou piped up. "Those old Fadlandian DF9's have a bad sensor array…I checked the consumer reports…probably wouldn't have shown it anyway. We've got a custom system up on the _Malarkey _that's networked with out ships. I can show you the logs later on.

Zachary smiled, it would be a perfect idea, he could assign Shiva to change the sensor logs on the way up…

He was interrupted from his reverie by the human's metal clad finger poking into his chest. Lou immediately stepped forward, as did Shiva but he flicked an ear, they stepped back.

"I've never liked you anthro scum…Never have never will. I don't trust you any farther than I can throw you; of course with the suit I can probably throw you over the ridge…"

Zachary forced himself not to comment on how the suit was probably preventing his balls from dropping and concentrated on keeping his balance, the human was stepping up the pressure with each word he spoke:

"Truthfully, I think you're lying."

"Why would I"

The human shrugged his massive augmented shoulders. "I don't know. Probably following your 'instincts' or that fucking 'call of the wild' bs I've heard about."

Zachary's teeth gritted but he said nothing. He held his anger in check. "I'd guess that you've got cold feet. Like some puppy running around with it's tail between it's legs." The human pushed one final time and Zachary found himself falling into the arms of Clarissa who had somehow managed to step in behind him.

Lou stepped forward and Zachary had to marvel at the cat's nerve, he only came up to the humans chin. "Back off you prick, let's get this mission finished before I end up turning that fancy ass suit into slag.."

The human turned away from the leopard and began walking back toward the two transports parked further on in. "_My_ forces are landing inside the base..if you lot want to walk a mile in this heat…be my guest." And with that he disappeared in the direction of the ships.

Clarissa helped Zachary to his feet and dusted him off perfunctorily. "Guess I returned the favor, balance wise eh?" Her eyes were hard. " That racist, xenophobic bastard. All humans aren't like that…just the ones out here. It must be the _inbreeding…"_ She said this with more force, although the human acted as if he hadn't heard.

Shiva was livid and Lou was attempting to persuade her not to cave in the back of the humans skull. "But there's NO wind…the shot would be perfect…"

Zachary sighed and then turned toward his ship. "Come on people…let's follow them before this guy leads his troops into a meat grinder or something else impulsive.."


	10. Transcript

Transcript

Page 2 of 2 Tenth Circle:

Created By: Alexander Cole

_Okay people This may not seem like much but I think that for those of you who were wondering what the base mission will involve this will be a treat. Consider it a break from the main storyline. Oh and _

Transcript

_IRIS BioTech-Installation 07:Lab B17_

_Transcript Of conversation Between AI Psychologist Alan Dialphonese and Primary Testing director Fasset Dufy._

_AD: …and I'm telling you that the process is being rushed in too many areas. There needs to be a tightening of the screening process. I reviewed the records for the last 25 and we've got at least 3 former felons in the batch, plus an epileptic._

_FD: Did you deny them entry?_

_AD: YES I did, we cannot have individuals with mental defects utilizing this type of implant, who knows what type of effect this could have on the cortical lattice's subsystems-_

_FD: (sighs) Dammit Allan I told you how much the company put into publicizing this technology, we've got every single tech fanatic jacking of at the very thought of getting the chance to participate in the program-_

_AD: Exactly, that's the problem, __everybody's__ applying… Not all the attention we've gotten from the media has been positive. Around two weeks ago I was sent a paper from some rights group-_

_FD: Oh come on Allan, you know how exactly how these intrest groups are. They'll grab at anything to prove a freaking point-_

_AD: Not exactly. These guys…they may be new but they had their facts right. I've checked the records..these implants may have a shitload of features but they hit different centers of the brain and interface with logic and core functions via a direct route. And with the organic interface there will be such an exchange of information… It's controversial as hell. _

_FD: (Exasperatedly) Don't you think we've taken this into account? That we've engeneered the implants not to tamper with the brain's structure? You're freaking spooked, guy._

_AD: (Laughs nervously) Spooked yes but for a good reason-_

_FD: Alright Al, what's the god damned reason?!_

_(Silence)_

_AD: All I'm saying is that there's a risk that the implant could awaken dormant psychological tendencies in patients during installation. And if the main AI isn't properly safeguarded this entire program could end up coming down around our ears. Do you really want to deal with a rampant, possibly self-aware AI, Do you?_

_FD: (Sighs) You're good Al, that's why we hired you. But you're nervous as hell. You need a drink. Get off this world a bit, getr some air in your system. I'll review the screening process and see if I can't tap into their psych profiles or have some sort of automated processs that the AI can handle built in to the system. _

_AD: You know I don't drink. _

_FD: (chuckles) Sorry…I've been up late reviewing the figures. We've got 225 out of 600 applicants._

_AD: Good. You hired me to ensure that the brain AI link was safe, as technology of this scale's never been done before…we're all exited to see it coming to fruition. I'm only doing my job…_

_END TRANSCRIPT _

2

Page 2 of 2 Created By: Alexander Cole 


	11. The Injustice Of It All

The Injustice of it All

_The Injustice of it All_

_…and the really fucked up thing is that he knew that he'd probably end up pissing us all off and said it anyway._

_ I've gotta say Zachary…you've got a hell of a lot more restraint than I do. If it had been me I would have slit that pink skinned asshole's throat from ear to ear_

_ This explains why I'm the leader and you're not Shiva…a bit too impulsive._

_ They don't come out that way._

Clarissa's hand tightened around the throttle as she spoke. Perhaps it was the sheer injustice of the actions she had just witnessed but at that moment she truly felt for Zachary. Shiva's voice came over the cabin's speakers.

_What do you mean…?_

The bat's voice was genuinely inquisitive, perhaps this was her first experience with xenodiscrimination… _Lucky her…I've seen it on both sides…the subtle governmental crap and the blatant displays of…stupidity.  
_

_ Xenodiscrimination isn't something that you can inherit. You have to be taught it. Sometimes it's blatant, like a human mother pulling her child close as a lioness walks by. Or like watching as you're excluded from a group of kids on the playground cause you've got fur, and ears and a tail._

_Other times it's extraordinarily subtle. Holovid channels that only show human-run programming, and show anthro media maybe once a year. Political ads, campaigns…marketing. You see that in the inner rim. The subtle stuff…_

Lou spoke, his voice cracking slightly. _ I remember one time on the mining colony where I grew up they showed old footage from back when the two species had first met. 'Met'… as if it was a peaceful 'how do you do' meeting in a park. They clashed. I saw riots. I saw a red wolf hung from a flag pole. His son was strung up next to him. That was when they first tried integrating the schools._

Zachary shut of his headset and ran his hand over his face. He felt tired, and angry. Angry at the prick who was the commanding officer of those 40 other humans. Angry at the fact that his team had seen him in a moment of weakness; that Clarissa especially had seen him back down.

And most of all he seethed with rage at the thought of the bodies of the father and son swinging in the oppressive summer heat more than a century ago. He could almost see the tongue thrust out, the heads canted at an unnatural angle. Such barbarism…

…_And somehow they think themselves to be evolved…how ironic._


	12. Weaponry Specs sheet

File Classification: Hidden

_File Classification: Hidden_

_Crytography Key: Alpha G5_

_Description: Partially reconstructed Datafile detailing Clarissa's Weapons layout. Will add more as more is uncovered. And yes Clarissa, if you're reading this I AM a sneaky bastard. Sue Me.-Zachary_

_Projectile Based Weaponry_

_One Smith &Wesson 652 Model Revolver (Six-Shot)_

_**H**__uman-made weapons are, due to their rarity, quite expensive in the inner rim systems. Nevertheless these antique weapons are quite useful in a pinch. The 652's highly audible shots give it a fear factor which offsets its slow firing rate (unless the user is experienced) and somewhat heavy recoil. The weapons stopping power alone is enough to disable human and Anthro opponents, though the weapon does have trouble burrowing through high-grade ballistic-gel-plating. _

_Two Floret A-10 Defensive pistols: 45 shots per battery at minimum setting_

_**T**__his weapon is meant to be used to dissuade pursuers of all types and with its Tenision Field Pulse generators at full, five shots to the head usually causes a ringing headache but on rare occasions causes partial disintegration of the frontal lobes. The weapon is not meant to be used exclusively, as at the full setting the battery is drained after 15 shots. On it's lowest setting the gun kicks out a respectable 9 shots per minute, though the user will be hard pressed to take advantage of this due to the weapons inadequate heat sinks. Experienced shooters have been known to kill with this weapon but only with carefully placed shots._

_2 Shredder Mark 3 Flechette-caster pistols: 20 Flechette's per clip_

_**T**__o put it bluntly-these weapons hurt, a lot. While the first shot will not kill, its neurotoxin- laced metal shards will certainly ease the intense pain that the will experience when the 2__nd__ and third shots make contact. However the shots are slow, though difficult to see, and the gun makes a muffled 'zap' sound when fired due to the active magnetic accelerator coils used in the gun's firing mechanism. There is however, no muzzle flash when the guns are fired. As an added bonus shredder rounds can be made out of recast and shaped scrap iron or more reliable high grade stainless steel if proper equipment is to be had. (Metal must be able to react to magnets to be used for shredder rounds) Sights are user adjustable. Be warned; shots cannot penetrate any but the weakest armor unless magna-accelerator unit is upgraded with Uralian crystals to boost the coil's firing punch._


	13. Delayed Entrance

**Alright. guess what...THEY"RE INSIDE. Finally after a couple of chapters of lead-ins they're inside the IRIS Biotech Facility...what wonders will await the team inside? Sorry about the major delays in between chapters it's just that the 'I-know -how-the-scene-should-be written-but-I-Can't figure-out-how-to-write-it' form of writers block was kicking my brain for the longest. **

**My thanks to Fuersstoss for his sound advice; his story "The Saurian Gambit' has been a major amount of fun for me to read, his descriptions of Krystal and Brian and his superb use of dialogue (my major flaw) as well as his apt description of weaponry has been a major treat. **

**I'm hoping for more reviews, rather dissapointed i havent hit the 30 mark. Come on people...i do this for you (as well as for the eventual monetary gain." **

Clarissa's hand slid down her face and she stared first at the entranceway and then up at the sky in annoyance. It was now, officially night, 1900 hours to be precise. They'd spent a good part of the afternoon searching for an entranceway that wasn't covered with gunmetal grey blast doors…and until now had drawn blanks.

Lou was standing not ten feet in front of her his body half swallowed in the shadow of the entranceway. His yellow eyes scanned the door for the umpteenth time until finally he pulled a small shortband raido from his belt. "Hey Zachary and dipshi-I mean Morris." He winked at Clarissa who was leaning against the far wall. A chorous of yes's flitted out of the speaker.

"I'm gonna break out my curring torches and demo-packs and see if I can't blow this fucker right off her mounts. If you have any similarly minded individuals on your team have em cut their way in or join me here. I'm setting up a pinger so you can meet me. Lou out."

Slinging his pack and weapons onto the ground he turned to Clarissa: "How much you wanna bet that the human's head is reelng from all the big words I used?" She smiled tiredly and slid down till she was sitting on the ground, her tail curled round her waist.

As the leapord pulled a white marker from his pack and began drawing radius notation marks on the door he remarked, "You tired?"

"Partly that, partially bored out of my skull. I hate missions like this. Do you even know how much ammunition I'm carrying." Lou didn't reply as he had become absorbed in his work, at present he'd pulled out a datapad and was using the stylus to solve some equation.

Clarissa had only closed her eyes for a few second when a vengeful scream and the image of a single glittering black eye flashed in her mind. Her eyes sprang open and she felt Lou's hand on her shoulder. The leapord jumped slightly at the fierceness of her expression but said, "As I was saying, unless you want to lose half your face I'd suggest you move back about 40 feet, duck and cover your ears."

Clarissa rose and looked at the door which had 3 strategically placed det-packs as well as an odd looking green gel which lined the the metal in a rough approximation of an archway.

The pair got into position and Lou opened a channel, "I'm ready to blow the door. Where are you people? The sooner we insert the sooner we can be on our way."

Zachary's voice was first " En route. Morris's forces are right behind me." The Human cut in. "I put detpack setups on three of the other entrances. They're rigged to detonate after a 3 second pulse from our com system's test channel. IRIS wants as little damage as possible, but if we need escape routes-and I doubt it…we'll have em."

The humans rounded the bend of the dome and Zachary called out, "Let's go _in _with a bang shall we?"

The leapord's gloved finger closed on the remote detonator's firing cap. "Five…Four…" Clarissa pressed herself flat and covered her ears: "Three, two…BREACH!" The ignition caps imbedded in the green jell were the first to set off, and a blinding flare of light shone out for an instant, outlinging the makeshift shape of the archway. A fierce blast shook the ground as the Detpacks exploded, sending dust and debri flying. As the dust cleared Clarissa rose, coughing heavily and shaking her head to clear the ringing in her ears.

"Dammit, I just washed this morning." She sighed in annoyance as silt began to settle on her fur. Morris's voice cut through the still dissipating dust. "Alright people listen up. We're gonna split up into 13 fireteams. Using the map as a reference we are to work our way through the entire installation. Our mission is to A: Link up with the installations's main AXIOM Mark VI AI and follow it's instructions. Failing that we are to B: Pull one of the main data cores, and use our ships COM system to beam the entirety of that data back to IRIS's headquarters. Secondary objective, Ascertain the whereabouts of the 4 other forces which were sent in ahead of our team."

_There were others…they didin't tell us this…_

It seemed as if Zachary had not been told this for his eyes widened at the news. "There were other squads? Why wan't I notified?" Moris's eyes were obscured by the helmet he'd been handed by one of his men but Clarissa swore he was grinning as he said, "Need to know basis furball…and you didn't need to know."

"That information might be invalu-" "Zip it Alpo. We move now. Clarissa, you take Gamma team Shiva, Theta, Zachary take Sigma. Lou, you take Bravo. The rest, auto-assign. Move!"

As Clarissa followed morris and his team in, her men in rigid single file behind her she noted that the lights were off. _Power grid may be functional but only to a limited extent…Morris's scanners aren't always right._

The group came to an intersection of passageways which seemed to lead in all directions. The rest of the teams spread out but Clarissa held up her hand. In a whisper she said,

"Weapon flashlights on and sweeping, if we get enemy contasts switch to night vision or thermal scanners if you have em." A chorous of 'clicks' echoed in the confined space and light spilled out over the metal. A glint of red caught one of the soldiers eyes. "Look…"

A long drawn out smear of blood along trailed the upper right wall. The soldier's integrated scanner swet along it. "DNA's not human…it's anthro. Gender, Female. Species, Lynx. Sample's about a month old."

"Then we're not alone…" Clarissa opened a channel. "Clarissa to all captains…I got blood on the walls. Something's out there. Recommend we report in at 15 minute intervals as a precaution. "

Lou's voice filtered through. "Blood, hell I've got scorch marks, slight structural damadge…wow…looks like someone threw a grenade-"

"Not to mention that there are 2 weapons cache's which were rifled." Shiva sounded slightly tense, as the slight scent of blood and something more unpleasant tinged the air.

"Morris…whatsay you?" The reply was swift and bull-headed. "All teams belay that request, only report in if you have contacts." Clarissa closed the line and looked at her team.

A short one spoke up, "He's an ass mam, wouldent be working under him if I had my way. Eats his own xenophile shit for breakfast, lunch and dinner. He's got the most volatile of the gang in his squad. You won't have any trouble from any of us."

Clarissa turned toward the man, staring into the soulless mirrored lenses of the gas mask for several seconds. Finally she said. "I trust you as much as I'd trust any other human in this godforsaken place…but thanks. Thank you for breaking the mold."

No reply was needed. Without another word, the group began to move through the darkness and into the unknown.


	14. Wraith

Wraith

Wraith

"_God made man and the anthro in his own image. But that image has been proven to be…imperfect. Diseases of the body and mind afflict us. There is hunger, poverty. War. Is it wrong to wish to fix these cosmic mistakes? I think not." Jhon IRIS-Founder._

"Look at this." One of the soldiers had stepped into a small lecture hall off to the right of the main hallway. They wouldn't have known it was a lecture hall if it hadn't been for the fact that Clarissa and the group had been prying open doors as they went, those that weren't locked shut, or marked with biohazard symbols. There was signage, but because the signs were of the digital variety, the mini screens were blank.

The cursory attempt at engaging the lights was a failure not surprisingly, and the group walked carefully down the asiles, shining their searchlights down the rows of seats. A noise sounded from behind them and Clarissa 's searchlight trained on the source of the sound. A series of clicks sounded and she realized that the men had depressed their triggers in their excitement.

_They can sense my fear. Thank God I had the sense to instruct them to turn on the safties… _ Clarissa turned to continue toward the stage. Her foot caught on something and she pitched foreward, sprawling onto the high pile carpeting with a muffled bump.

Then she started. There was something sticky under her palms. Blood. She had tripped over a body. The glassey eyed stare of a corpse leared back at her and her reflection was frozen inside its milky irises. Staring into the cloudy depths of its eyes she thought she saw, no _felt,_ something watching her. She felt her skin crawl. Before she knew it she was lifted from the floor by two of the humans.

The smell of excrement and blood hung in the air. The blinding glare of the weapon flashlights caused her to blink fiercely. "Are you alright."

Clarissa did not respond. She was staring at the screen of her Omicuff scanner. "It's not dead. I'm reading a heartbeat…low brain wave activity. Wait. It spiked." The soldiers looked at one another and then at the body.

One took a step back. A low moan issued from the Labs throat as he pressed off against the ground in a feeble attempt to rise. One of the humans stepped forward and extended a hand towards the stricken dog. His face lifted –and the human saw the red striations in the pupils.

"Holy shi-"

Even later when the video logs were viewed by Clarissa and the rest, none of them would be able to belive how fast it had moved. It moved, to put it bluntly, like a demon. The inactive bloodied hands suddenly snapped upward, and latched onto the edges of the human's gas mask like a vise.

A cry of alarm rose up and Clarissa pulled her sidearm, forgoing the urge to shoot when one of the men stepped foreward and cracked the thing across the snout with the butt of his rifle. There was the crunch of bone and the simultaneous tearing of plastic and clamps-the human had misjudged his swing and slammed the butt of the rifle into the man's face at the same moment that the masks supposedly unbreakable seals failed and the mask gave way.

The fiend's nails were torn from their cuticles such was the force of the action but it barely noticed the pain, lashing out with one clawed fist, barely missing the man who stepped back from his misjudged swing.

"_Safties OFF, NOW!" _ Clarissa snapped. There was the clicking of switches but none could shoot for fear that they'd hit their comrade. Suddenly it turned the human's bloodiesd and broken face toward them, opened it's jaws in a roar of defiance and triumph-and sank it's teeth into the soldier's face.

Blood welled up from around it's jaws, dark and arterial in the harsh swinging light of the weapon's erratic beams. The man was screaming now, a high pitched strangled wail of sheer terror that was ringing in the ears of all-all exept the hell borne form which bit harder and harder until with a muffled _pop _ his skull fractured.

"_Shoot the fucker, shoot him NOW"_ The cry went up and as one the entire group began spraying the thing with plasma. The body began to smoke and burn, quaking violently under the combined volley of shots. Clarissa raised her pistol one final time and sent a shot into the labs neck, silencing its piercing death scream.

Silence fell. Clarissa heard the murmer of prayers being uttered, looked down to see one of the soldiers holding the head of the dead soldier in his arms. "I worked with him for five years. Five fucking years, and he goes in a crapshoot way like that." His voice broke. _"You stupid son of a bitch…why'd you have to help him? God…why?"_

Over the man's cries of anguish, Clarissa heard the beeping of her communicator signaling an incoming call. She pressed the earbud deeper in and listend. "_Gamma team if you don't get up here within five minutes-"_

"You want to know why we're late jackwad?" Clarissa was livid, her her hands locked around the holster of her sidearm. "We just spent five minutes dealing with a problem that could have been averted if you'd listend to sense instead of acting like you were controlling your own goddamed army."

"And what happened that could possibly be worth five minutes?

Clarissa attempted to clamp down on her tongue and explained to him what had happened in the lecture hall. "…and if you had taken my advice I could have called for backup when I needed it, and one of your men wouldn't be dead and your team half demoralized."

"And maybe if you'd moved your ass and not attempted to make detours that man would still be alive. I knew hiring you mercs was a mistake. Damn second rate furry-" Clarissa ripped the speaker from her ear.

"I swear, I'm gonna kill that man." She rubbed her temples and looked at the holoprojector mounted at the base of the far wall. "Pull that memory core from the projector…it might give us a clue as to what was going on here." One of the men did so; signaling for her men to take the emergency exit. As she followed at the rear of the column Clarissa looked back at the smoking corpse one final time. Something just wasn't right about that thing…not right at all.


	15. Dreams of A Rose

The Dreams of a Rose

Page 2 of 2 Tenth Circle:

Created By: Alexander Cole

_The Dreams of a Rose_

_Rose could feel Zenia's hands on her cheeks, the feline was staring at her lovingly, their lips inches apart. Suddenly her hands pulled away from her lovers face. "What's wrong?" _

"_The plan…it won't work."_

"It won't work' Rose's coal black eyes flew open, she had mouthed those exact words in her sleep. She'd closed her eyes for only five seconds, her watch confirmed this, but the dream had re-asserted the feeling that she had gotten as soon as she'd set foot inside the facility: that something was wrong with their preposed plan of action.

As Rose sat in the large AI monitering station overlooking the spherical mainframe core she recounted Zenia's exact lines on an earlier occasion: "This mission is to be the spearthrust of our entire operation…it cannot fail."

Rose's quick wit replied instantly _Yes, but a misjudged thrust can jeapordise the entire battle-and leave you with your quarry having escaped into the brush._

Her argument was simply this, perhaps they were taking the wrong approach to Clarissa entirely. Zenia's 'shock and awe' approach was indicative of her impulsive nature, slightly confrontational, employing brute force as a means of bending Clarissa to her will. The rabbit however could see a possibility of it backfiring. If Rose followed her advice there was a distinct possibility that Clarissa would be scared away, and their entire plan would be dead before it even began.

Alternate methods would have to be devised… Rose's eyes drifted dopwnward as the door to the core room opened and a group of humans led by an anthro filed in. The leapord was first, followed by the bat and her team. Clarissa was next, her white fur causing her to stick out like a sore thumb. The door opened one final time and in walked a German Shepherd…Rose's heart froze.

_Zachary…it was Zachary. _

Even now after all these years…the pain still arose fresh in her heart. The pain of the fights they'd had prior to his leaving. The suspicion. The realization that she'd born a child she would never hold in her arms. Anger, white hot flowed through her viens and she glared at the pair from above, unseen, her armor's light-bending adaptive cameoflage assured this.

At that moment she would have given anything to have been able to ditch Zenia's accursed plan and run down and skin him alive. Make him feel how she had felt during the years before she had met Zenia. But now was not the time for revenge. The rabbit's hand was gripped tightly around the hilt of her sword, and she looked downward upon them one last time.

The vixen was staring right at her. As if she knew. It was time to leave. As she turned and melted into the shadows of the dimly lit room and the vixen's face began to slide from view Rose thought she saw the slightest flicker of blue behind her irises. She blinked. It must have been a trick of the light….

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Page 2 of 2 Created By: Alexander Cole 


	16. Boiling Point

Yes…readers…I lied

Page 3 of 3 Tenth Circle:

Created By: Alexander Cole

_Yes…readers…I lied. I managed to edit the first chapter, but ended up grinding to a screeching halt on the second one. I didn't want to lose track and end up losing the story entirely, so I am resolved to continue. Please review._

Boiling Point

_Beltino Military Psych Text 89.2 Vol 3- 'In situations with mounting stress a commander may be hard pressed to keep control of his/her mental integrity. This can be compounded by death or disease, and if the dead party is a beloved member of the commander's own squad…the fight to retain one's own sanity becomes all the harder…_

Clarissa had commanded men in battle before. It was part and parcel of the life of a mercenary, nine times out of ten you _didn't _go in alone if you didn't have to; the odds were oftentimes too great for one individual to handle.

Since her first mission, she prided herself on one thing: she had never lost a man. Some of her men had been injured in the line of duty, but never lost. The blood red sash of shame had never lain across her shoulders

She forced herself to turn around, she had been staring at the windows above, in an attempt to keep from facing the awful truth of what had just transpired: _ It's gone, all gone, my record is ruined. Thirty seven jobs and… _

They were staring at her, three of the men clustered arounf their stricken comrade who was sitting on the floor, his gloved hands shaking uncontrollably. The man's head was bared, the mask had been removed quickly, in an effort to allow him to breath.

Dimly Clarissa hazarded a guess of 'Swift Onset PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). This was the dark side of war, the part that reached into the mind and held you, and wouldn't let you alone. The dead could come back to life…in dreams.

"I heard what happened."

Her head snapped around and she saw Zachary standing next to her, as if to provide support, not that she needed it. She was…immune. Immune to the fact that this man would be discharged, sent home with the screams of his dying comrade bouncing round his skull. Immune to the black hovercraft that would pull up at the house of the disceased.

Immune to the funeral…the pain…the loss.

But as her shoulders began to shake she realized the truth. She wasn't immune. She never had been. She felt his pain. Why, she did not know, given that she had her own crosses to bear.

Of course, she reflected this entire fiasco wasn't really her fault. After all, who was the designated commanding officer for this mission? Morriss. Who had acted like a complete and total ass the second they'd come into contact with each other? Morris.

And who had disregarded the soundest advice that could have been given in these circumstances? She looked up to see the human walking toward her. _Three guesses…_

"Where are the other five fireteams?" The humans voice was magnified to an incredible degree by the helmet's speakers and Clarissa winced at the sheer volume.

"I don't understand why in the hell you're asking me. We'd have a rough approximation if we'd followed _my _advice, that soldier wouldn't be _dead _ if we'd followed my advice!"

Her voice was rising, they were all looking at her, but she didn't care. This had to be said.

"His parent's wouldn't have to see that damned harbringer pull up at their front gate and bring them the news. In my opinion, you're unfit as a commander, and as a human being you're one of the worst I've met. And I'll be sure to have you cited for gross violation of the Cervantes VS Beltino Anti-Xenodiscrimination act of 2133. That's grounds for removal. _Dishonerable _ removal."

Clarissa's eyes were blazing, she felt her hands itching, she was waiting for him to speak, just waiting for him to give her an excuse to blow him to steaming bits.

"Are you quite finished?"

"For the moment yes."

Morris's hand touched a small pad on the side of the helmet and the faceplate depolarized allowing his face to be seen.

"You anthros are all the same, all high and mighty with your morals and your sense of justice. Weak. Pathetic little creatures that scurry about in horror at the actions of us 'callous' 'uncouth' humans." His voice had slipped into a mocking, impossibly high register.

What you dimwits fail to realize is that reality is a good deal more brutal than you'd expect. We kill we fight, we rape we pillage. We, humanity have waded through more shit then you could have seen in a lifetime. Fought more wars since our conception than you could have dreamed of…"

Clarissa was stunned: "And you take _pride _ in your barbarisim? My god, no wonder there's so much animosity between the races on your worlds. I mean, I love fighting as much as the next but…"

Morris chuckled darkly. " ' Barbarisim'… an uncultured word from an uncultured mind…" he paused. "Borne from uncultured parents. Listen to me fox. Wether you recognise it or not, humans are born to conquer. This fragile peace that exists now will soon change, this equilibrium that you treasure will dissipate. And the galaxy will be ours."

Clarissa's hands had balled into fists the moment he'd mentioned her parents. As she shifted foreaard her wrist 'accidentally' brushed the 'save' tab on the Omnicuff. Zachary's hand latched onto her shoulder, holding her back.

He whispered fiercely into her ear. "Don't let him get to you…let it go until after this is over…"

Clarissa wrenched herself away from his grasp. A vindictive smile was planted on the human's face as he quipped, "Be glad your commander has more sense than you do…or I'd be doing more than docking half your pay for attempting to assault an officer."

The faceplate repolarized and he turned away from her. Clarissa's jaw was clenched so tight, she half expected to snap a molar. Then one of the soldiers spoke up.

"You're wrong. These wars didn't make us stronger. They divided us, made enemies where there were once friends. Same now. And she's right. You're a shitty commander _sir- _ and I'd rather fight under her than you." Another spoke, "That goes for all of us."

Clarissa broke into a grim smile. "You just lost command."

"We'll all have lost this mission and have grown grey hair by the time you've both finished." Morriss turned to face the irreverent Leapord who was standing next to a bank of switches imbedded in the core's paneling.

Lou raised a hand and the man's mouth snapped shut. "Now that this intellectual pissing contest is over maybe we can actually get started." His hand floated over the switches for a moment, and Clarissa saw a rogueish smile spread across his features.

"Laidies and Gentlemen…I present to you the symphony that is…the AXIOM."

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Page 3 of 3 Created By: Alexander Cole 


	17. AXIOM

AXIOM

AXIOM

"_The most brilliant murders and psychopaths of our time, the Luovos Twins of the 2000s the famed Rouge Council, Hitler, Stalin…all have had their madness fueled by one thing. Logic. Even when interpreted by computer, the reasons for what they did made sense in some…sick twisted manner._

_Perhaps this is what makes the newest breed of AI so terrifying. The X2 Variant of the Quantum Lattice was meant to liberate us from the bounds of processing power. But now it can theoretically out-think it's creators. And that could be a problem." Alan Dialphonese: Recovered Log File._

The startup had gone without a hitch. From the ramping up of the main power generators to the raising of the Isolation fields around the glowing blue core…everything had gone as planned. Clarissa had to admit, while it hadn't been a symphony-what symphony took 30 minutes to get running, there was a sort of majesty involved as she watched the brightness beginning to build from within the sphere.

Apparently the designers had decided to dispense with control panels in the core room and th entire setup was being run by a gigantic series of holoprojectors, one of which Lou was standing in front of watching the setup process unfold. The screens suddenly cleared and there was a light chiming sound.

"Huh…odd."

"What?" Clarissa asked, walking over. "The Lattices are built to be able to self-optomize, using some sort of half organic crystalline structure that works via quantum mechanics. And this one has done something that I wouldn't have expected."

"What?"

"Well…it seems that for the most part there has been no growth since installation…workload hasn't been strenuous, actually it's been light, I'm surprised it wasn't stone bored. And then about…here." He pointed to a spot on a graph.

"It exploded. Performance went up like a sky-rocket, new branches were formed. Kept on growing for about fifteen days…and then this sudden shutdown. Funny."

Shiva piped up. "Is there any way to access the log files? "

Lou manipulated a few tabs. "No…apparently whatever happened all the logs and records have been transmuted into some format the damn thing can't access. That includes security cameras and droid activities."

"I'll bet it's an inside job. You think the IRIS corporation might have a scientist who got pissed and decided to send the company's latest toy round the bend?" Shiva stared at the screen in fascination.

"Probably. Well…let's activate this thing and see what happens. I'm only vaguely familiar with this system and I'm not gonna try and trawl around through base code to try to get it to act right. Issuing final confirmation….now."

The lights overhead suddenly flared into bright relif and Clarissa ralized that the hallways and indeed the core were painted stark white. "Well…I'd guess that means power's back online."

Hello

All looked around for a few seconds before realizing that the computer had finally arisen. "Hello there…and who might you be sir?" Shiva said in her cheeriest tone yet. As Zachary and Lou both stuck their fingers down their throats in disgust the computer answered. I am a unisex variant miss. I am unfortunately unable to establish the correct time and date, because the central transmission array is offline.

"We'll have that fixed in a tiff. Now could you perhaps tell us just what the hell happened here?" Clarissa folded her arms and waited for the computer to speak. Would you prefer before or after I assess via internal sensors?

"Before".

The facility's director, acting upon instructions from central command was attempting to develop a modified water soluble version of rabies for an undisclosed purchaser. One of the lead scientists sabotaged the isolation chambers…and things began to go wrong.

Morriss spoke. "Computer, are there any other records of prior military forces having circuited through this complex?"

No, I show no other forces except yours.

"There are five of our fire teams which have become scattered throughout the complex. All attempts at reaching them have failed. Please scan for transmissions and for IFF tags."

"There are no other military forces in this building with the same affiliation as yours.

There was a moment of silence. Then, "We were informed of an 'emergency protocol'-"

Yes. On his way out the man deactivated a number of key subsystems without which I cannot regain complete control of this facility. Reactivate these for me and I will be able to signal a distress to central command.

As they waited for the computer to tally up and send a list of required repairs to each of them, wirelessly Clarissa pulled Zachary aside and whispered into his ear, "When Tinkerbelle here started up my Omni cuff detected a series of pulses on the COM bands."

"Oh that's simple, all computers flash power to their various parts to ensure that they work properly during the startup sequence-even I know that."

"It flashed _twice…_once for the power…thing…what was the second for?"

Zachary did not answer, his gaze had shifted in unease to gaze at the pulsing blue core. As she gazed within it's cool blue depths, a feeling arose within her.

Fear.

Fear that there was more to what had happened in this facility than a simple disgruntled employee.

Fear of what lay in the other unexplored sections of the base.

And fear that the soldier who died in the lecture hall would be only the beginning of the bloodbath that was to come.


	18. Setting The Trap

Setting the Trap

Page 5 of 5 Tenth Circle:

Created By: Alexander Cole

_Hello there…just wanted to put this out there…My High school graduation is today…so thanks for sticking with me thus far. Class of '08 rules. This chapter was bouncing around in my head for a while but I couldn't figure out how to write it. Enjoy_

Setting the Trap

Zenia had been told during her youth to never play with her food. But, perhaps as an indicator of her personality, of her love of the hunt, and of her slightly twisted sense of humor, she had never really ascribed to the rule.

She enjoyed ensnaring her prey; thrilled at the fear shuddering through their bones as they attempted to escape the nooses tightening about their necks. And so far, none whom she had set her sights on had left her clutches alive.

But then, none of them had been a significant challenge. Her first kill, a young lupine who had tortured her mercilessly throughout middle-school, insulted her for her looks, her dress, the fact that she was a feline-she had been, on all accounts, an idiot.

She'd had to have been of lesser intelligence than her, else how would she have allowed the feline to hack her computer and copy her diary. Zenia grinned as she recalled the webpage that she had created about her, exposing her greatest secrets, and creating jucier ones that the school, and eventually the public had eaten up.

There had been 1000 hits on the first day. 2250 on the next. And by the third month, when the young girl was completely demoralized, and carried out her threat to throw herself off of the Hadien Bridge the count had jumped to 500,000.

Zenia had been there, had watched as the young girl had sobbed on the edge of the railing, raging against the gods for the cruel hand she had been dealt. Zenia had slipped out from the shadows that night and just as the wolf had been poised to fall, had whispered, "You reap what you sow. Enjoy your black harvest."

In the weeks after the death, Zenia pulled all links to the site, purged her domain names again and again, leaving no traces of the diary on her computer. But the memory of the event remained imbedded within her memory.

She, the quiet child, the class valedictorian, with the perfect record had never even been considered as the murderer. The two had never been seen in contact with one another, the lupine's abuse, had been silent, and almost impossible to perceive. As had Zenia's handiwork been.

Even by the standard of an assassin it had been masterfully done. No actual traces were left on the body, Zenia's hand had never lifted once to strike the red streaked face, her voice had never risen in righteous anger. _It had been perfect._

Her hand strayed beneath her overcoat to grace the handles of the throwing knives looped in her belt. These had tasted blood, as had her tongue; her hands had been bathed in it. The screams of the dying had laced her ears-and she gloried in it.

But this challenge, the greatest one of her life, would require all of her intellect, all of her skills as a huntress and as a wielder of power. One misstep could send her into a grave which she could never climb out of.

But then of course, she did tend to walk on the wild side.

The majority of the presenters had done their pieces and she had seen all 30 of them, guiding the buyers toward choices that would 'strengthen' the Coalition's defenses until the last moment when she would strike.

_They were fools, the lot of them_ she reflected as she ate in the station's dining hall, sitting at the one empty table that was closest to the viewport. Stars glittered in the middle distance, and she thought of spending a night beneath them with Rose naming constellations as they lay together-at peace.

Her reverie was interrupted however by a gentle tap on her shoulder. Zenia held back a growl of annoyance and turned to see a chameleon in a grey suit standing behind her. "I apologize for the intrusion miss Zenia but Lord Valmont wishes to speak with you in his office aboard the flagship _Imatarion_ located in docking bay 3." The feline rose and reluctantly followed the lizard out of the dining hall and into a turbolift which descended for a time before suddenly shifting left into an offshoot and arriving at the docking bay which had been specified by the scaly little underling which Zenia followed.

The _Imatarion_ was an impressive ship, but Zenia paid no attention to it's beautiful sweeping lines, or the batteries of hidden orbital cannons along it's lower hull. Her heart was seething with fury. She hated Valmont with a passion. She hated the self-assured way he ordered about his soldiers, _her_ especially.

He seemed to…_desire _ her. She had kept this from Rose out of fear of her anger; fear that she might literally jump the gun and kill him before the time came. She would have to take comfort in the knowledge that his death would be soon in coming. And if she had her way- it would be very very long before he died.

They swept through the upper decks walking though corridors and switching lifts several times, always with the same tireless pace that the lizard maintained. The anthro was silent almost eerily so-but then Zenia did not expect such an individual, one who worked with the head of the most powerful drug syndicate in the galaxy to have loose lips.

Zenia recognized his office as soon as she saw the ornately carved redwood door which blocked her and the lizard's passage. The wood was polished to a mirror sheen which easily reflected the face of both animals.

The lizard bowed slightly said, "He will see you presently-and I will return to collect you once the meeting is over." With that the reptile promptly turned on his heel and walked down the corridor.

Zenia was left standing there staring at the door like an idiot. For a moment she was overcome with a desire to carve a very rude hand sign into the wood-but that would dull the point of the knife. Not to mention it was a rather childish impulse to begin with.

With a feather light click, the door was unlatched and a voice from inside bade her to enter. Reflecting on the fact that he'd not even shown common courtesy and opened the door for her, she pushed forward and stepped inside.

The office was more opulence, almost dripping in wealth. Expensive paintings lined the walls, an oriental blade weapon was mounted below an antique bust, and the overstuffed armchair in which Valmont sat was most definitely imported from beyond the Dimensional gates, directly from crafters on earth itself.

There was no other chair in the room so Zenia stood waiting for Valmont to begin. The room's lights however were dimmed to a great degree, and she would have not known the armchair or for that matter, that any of the other things in the room existed if not for her night vision and because she had been in this office before. And not one time had it been of her own volition.

The Norway rat's eyes flickered open and a wide smile crossed his features, much like one that Zenia might have given to an earth-variant rodent before swallowing it whole. "Ah Zenia I have been expecting you."

"Of course sir, you sent one of your runners by during the break."

The rat's eyes narrowed slightly and he nodded. "Yes, true. Now to business." A long delicate hand reached underneath the desk and withdrew a chilled wine bottle and a single lead-crystal glass. "This is a 1977 Montague from the vineyards of Old Greece. Brilliantly made, elegantly textured." His eyes followed the liquid as he poured a measured amount into the glass.

"Wine my dear never loses it's value. You can make a man or anthro pay one hundred credits for a single glass, one hundred thousand for a single bottle. Supply and demand you see."

Zenia sighed slightly and said, "Money and commerce are part of my trade sir…I know of the 'scale system'."

"Do you? I wonder if you really do. If you know just how much power you hold within the palm of your hands. Absolute power corrupts…"

_Absolutely_ Zenia's mind finished. "Of course _I _being the coalition's head have the ability to watch those with 'absolute power'; I have ultimate control over you and those beneath you. I can make or break you, _cat_!"

Zenia bit back the primal urge to hiss, as she frantically tried to figure out what he was driving at. He blew air through his nostrils before continuing. "A few days ago, I decided to check your records, see what you'd been up to. I found that somehow, a hit had been ordered on one of _our_ convoys, had been authorized by a high ranking individual."

His voice had risen again, had lost the sugary sweetness which it had previously possessed. "I want you to explain to me why you would order a hit on one of our own. You have ten minutes."

Zenia snarled inwardly and had to work to keep the aggression our of her voice as she began. "The authorizer of the shipment, Barristo had been siphoning funds almost from the start of his work with us. He may have been a minor distributor but when his profit margins as well as his accounts didn't add up, I did some searching of my own. He was planning to make one last deal-one that would allow him to become very rich, maybe even move into the Inner-Rim. He knew that someone was onto him and this was his last effort to cover his tracks. I ordered the hit, the capsules were transferred back to central storage…and all of his accounts have been siphoned back to ours. And as soon as I find his accomplices…they'll know your wrath. As you have said sir…embezzling is not to be tolerated."

The rat's eyes were practically glowing with amusement as he clapped his hands. "Brilliantly played Zenia. Excellent work. Perfect. Almost too perfect." The rat's hands braced against the desk and the animal rose, his black suit rippling.

He strode toward her and Zenia fought the urge to step backward, to lash out with her claws or knife. She wanted to sink her teeth into his throat, let his blood spurt down her throat as he struggled to free himself from her death grip. Here it was…the reason for which she had been brought to see him.

"Methinks you are trying to test your influence…see just how far you can push your weight. "

Zenia's face was impassive, but mentally she was amazed that the rat had actually stumbled in the general direction of her initial move. She'd have to stall him. "No sir…I aim only to push the Coalition to even greater heights."

"I would expect nothing less of you." The rat shifted his weight forward and Zenia saw a lightly furred hand reaching out toward her. Most rats were thin and wiry-with the exception of the Norway variant. Valmont loomed tall and dangerous, and Zenia felt anger surge through her blood vessels.

That he would use his rank, power and influence, to attempt to bulley her into fulfilling his own sick twisted desires was detestable, and the thought of that rat's hands running down her profile sent shudders down her spine.

Valmont spoke "I've never really fancied felines…something about the teeth. But you…are an exception. Beauty…brilliance, cunning. Almost a worthy successor." His voice trailed off as his hand reached up to stroke her face.

"Need I remind you that I am…engaged to another? Please don't do something that we'll both regret…_sir. _ Zenia shifted s0 that the handles of the Shrikes could be seen and leered at him, her eyes blazing.

"An unwise decision…rebuffing me…you'll regret it. Now leave…before I have you disciplined for bringing concealed weapons into my office."

The rat had retreated back to his seat and finished the glass of wine in a single indelicate gulp. Zenia turned around and swept out of his office, brushing past the lizard in a blind fury.

She left the hangar and retreated to the nearest restroom, which was thankfully unoccupied. The faucet was turned on and cold water gushed out, which the feline splashed onto her face.

Zenia slowed the flow of liquid and looked up into the mirror, seeing her own eyes blazing back at her, filled with hatred and determination. This company would be hers to mold and construct. And with Rose at her side, and Clarissa as her weapon- _none_ but god would be able to stop them.

5

Page 5 of 5 Created By: Alexander Cole 


	19. A Hunch

"Zachary

_Sorry bout the delay folks, between the start of my internship, me accidentally lunching Office2003 (which I subsequently replaced with the full professional suite of 2000) and writers block…it took me a while. Trust me…you'll like this chapter._

"Zachary?"

The canine broke off from the group of soldiers clustered round the array and walked toward her. Clarissa led him off into a far corner of the courtyard and whispered,

"Are you sure we should even be doing this?"

"What do you-" she jerked her head at the COM array. "Oh you mean that."

"What else would I be referring to?!" Zachary rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I don't see what you're upset about. We finish this it will call the IRIS corporation and we can go vertical and blaze a trail to the nearest planet. Hell I could use a good martini-" He stopped, Clarissa had grabbed his arm, pinning him to the spot.

"You and I both know something's going on here…but it seems only one of us is willing to accept that truth."

Zachary snatched himself from her grasp. "You're freaking nuts."

"Was I nuts when I tried to keep the squads together? Was I nuts when I read Brass balls over there the riot act." Clarissa's voice had risen slightly and Zachary stared at her, his face blank.

Clarissa growled an oath and pushed past him heading for the nearest entrance. "Where in the hell are you going?" "To find proof. You're a damn skeptic so…hell. Tell the metal heads over there to hold off on the repairs till I get back."

Zachary started walking and called over his shoulder. "Hey you lot. Stop what you're doing till we get back…gotta check something." He caught up with her and she jerked his head painfully down to her level. "We? Since when did I say I needed you watching my back?"

His eyes drifted down her profile. "And who said I'd be watching your _back_?" Clarissa cracked him over his head with her free hand. "Cheeky bastard. Well I guess I could use an extra pair of eyes and ears."

Zachary's voice became a somber r whisper and his eyes darkened as he said, "And hell, I saw what that wraith did to your man…I wouldn't let any of them go alone, hell I feel bad leaving em alone for ten seconds out here. Least I can do is keep you out of harms way."

Clarissa looked at him as the passed the entranceway. "Well, I'll be taxidermied…the tin man has a heart."

The pair walked down the hall and into the nearest turbolift. The doors closed and Zachary waited for her to press a button. Instead she pulled the memory card from her pocket. "What are you doing?"

"I don't think the computer's scanners reach inside here." She took off her Omni cuff and handed it to him as the display began to fill with data. " I would have shown you thins when-_if _I'd gotten back but…anyway. Read it."

Zachary's eyes narrowed as he read the text and began scrolling though the images. "Invasive deep core implant…information exchange…. God…this is that tech that the community was raising a stink about last month. There were summit hearing for days, calls from the interest groups and far right to ban the project-military was all for it."

Clarissa snatched the device from his grasp. "That's only part of the puzzle."

"So there's more?"

"When is there ever less information?"

Clarissa pressed the button for the residential levels. "Wait, what are you doing, we haven't made any repairs down there yet, main power's still offline."

"Good, then the computer won't have had time to tamper with anything…_important." _

Zachary sighed, more secrets. He was beginning to hate this place even more. Clarissa pulled out her sidearm and primed the weapon. "I suggest you do the same…I need you to cover me while I check to see if it's there."

"You don't _know_ if what you're looking for is even there?!"

The lift chimed at their stop and the doors opened, light from within spilling into the dark beyond. "It's an instinct/tuition sort of thing. Women have it…" She grinned back at him: "Males don't."

Zachary stepped from the carriage and thumbed on his flashlight. "Oh, stuff it. I've got guns and moxy." The pair chuckled as they stepped fully out into the hallway. The laughter died when the doors snapped shut and the lift began to ascend. "I wonder who called it…?"

They looked at each other. "Come on" Clarissa said, pointing her gun down the hallway.

"Let's move."


	20. The Hall of Souls

The Hall of Souls

The Hall of Souls

Clarissa quickly realized that both she and Zachary were at a serious disadvantage in this area-there was no cover whatsoever. Of course, there had been no cover in the earlier section's they'd trawled through, but this was different, here it was all straight corridors and blind corners-the other sections had a gradual curve that they could use to their advantage.

Thus they were reduced to wall hugging, taking a few steps and listening for any sounds that might signify life. Zachary's hand came down on Clarissa's shoulder and she stiffened for a moment before relaxing and sighing.

"Don't _do that! _ I'm already on edge enough as it is."

"I see another corpse next to that doorway. I think it's an apartment of some sort. Maybe the personnel computers down here haven't been wiped. "

"The computer isn't my main concern…this stiff actually is." She crept foreword and knelt beside the thing taking it's head in her hands and examining it.

"What the devil are you doing?" Zachary hissed, "That thing could gut you like a fresh pike before you had time to-"

"His lips…" Clarissa breathed.

"What about them?"

"There's no foam…his lips are comparatively moist."

"Then it's not Hydrophobia…oh Gods above…"

Clarissa stood and opened the door to the room. "You wanted proof Zachary? This is it."

The room was small, cramped by anyone's standards. On the bed rested a body, which was in such a state of decomposition that it's stomach, was bloated to a horrifying degree. Clarissa couldn't even tell what species it was.

Clarissa turned to a workstation and pressed the power switch experimentally. To her amazement it turned on. "Huh…an emergency power supply." She continued typing with Zachary staring over her shoulder.

"Odd…there are at least 100 safeguards but they're parting for me as if it's supposed to be found by…"

My god… Clarissa's hand flew to her mouth as she began to read

Diary Entry # 354 Date Unknown: If you've found this then I am already dead, as is every other individual inhabiting this facility. Perhaps you area member of the first security team to penetrate this facility. If so, heed my warning, DO NOT activate the main construct, no matter what the regulations state.

It began when a candidate slipped through the screening procedures (which were specifically designed to prevent this from occurring) He had a latent form of schizophrenia, one which was so deeply imbedded that the screeners hadn't caught it.

_As soon as he was implanted with the device, the computer interfaced with his brain and was affected-due to the fact tat my suggestion of adding a reverse blocking pipeline to the data stream was…ignored First he fell into a coma. Then he started screaming on the 5__th__ day. _

Two weeks later it struck, and by this time all 600 of the patients had fallen into a coma or some degree of psychosis. Almost ran out of straightjackets. We couldn't understand what was going wrong; the implantations on ALL of them had been lawless. All the prototype implants ha been triple checked for defects-none existed. Software checked out fine as well.

_It cut the lights off first, and then began using the atmospheric shielding to create…explosive decompression. We lost 50 of the staff that way-before we shut off the controls to that. The security forces tried to hold out as long as they could but given that most of the access to the weapons caches was controlled by the computer…it was a losing battle._

_Eventually it started remote-transporting people to holding cells for implantation, it said it could improve the technology, make it work. Hundreds were taken. That it was doing it for the good of the company. In it's mind it was following it's prime directive And it wanted to spread, explaining why we'd cut off the main array…if it got loose everyone would have been in danger. We threw up firewalls to slow it down and retreated to the residential levels-because from there we could use emergency shafts to access the core._

_Three rats lost their lives planting the low yield EMP. It went off…and everything went dead. No COM's... nothing. I am the last one alive. It said it saved me because I talked to it…treated it like more than a machine._

_Even though we disabled the sensor grids, I believe it has learned to use the bodies to monitor the activity…a living auto defense system. Ingenious. _

_I do not have long to live…please…take the original prototype model chip, which will be in my right hand when I die. Perhaps you can make our dream work._

_Adieu- Alan Diaphones_

Clarissa opened a COM line and said "This is Clarissa to all units, retreat to the landing pad immediately, do not, I repeat do not bring the main array online-"

Clarissa stopped when she heard a footstep from outside the door. _"You're wasting you're time talking to them…I've been jamming your signals since you got down here_."

Zachary grabbed the glass case clutched in the corpses right hand while Clarissa covered the doorway. "I know what you did to them, you sick twisted shithead."

"_I liberated them from their bonds. I made the part of myself. Is that wrong? One collective consciousness…knowledge…insight. It's a beautiful thing. You believe that I am…tainted…you are incorrect in this. I merely wish to make the implant work…"_

"_I'll kill you!" _Clarissa snarled and sent three shots into the thing's forehead, dropping it.

"_Not a wise decision…" _Said a bevy of voices from down the hall_. "Using three shots on just one of us? Not smart at all…"_ Clarissa trained her flashlight down the hall and saw at least five groups of wraiths walking towards her, all carrying assault rifles, bedecked in battle armor and wearing that same sadistic smirk on their faces.

"_I did some repair work down here as soon as you got the droids up and running…quite simple really."_ A red sensor strip lit up along the bottom wall and Clarissa saw auto turrets drop into view.

Zachary stepped out of the room and almost dropped his pistol. "We are sooo fucked right now."

"Thank you captain obvious." Red laser sights were trained on both of their heads, unwavering…after all they were being controlled by a computer. They wouldn't miss-ever.

Clarissa switched to her rifle and aimed at the first group of Anthros. _"There are over 1,400 converted individuals in this base. 4000, turrets. The droid foundry can spit out up to 3500 mark 5 defensive drones…" _A blast door slammed shut behind them, cutting off their escape route.

"_I could activate the decompression shields right now and have you struggling in a vacuum before you could move for your firearm…" _Zachary looked up at the ceiling and swore.

"_You're not getting out alive…why not join me?"_ Clarissa closed her eyes and shouldered her assault rifle. The vixen calmly removed the gloves from both her hands and pocketed them.

"What the hell are you doing?" Zachary hissed. Clarissa didn't answer. Her prosthetic lengthened once again and a chuckle rippled through the ranks.

"Zachary…get behind me." Her voice seemed…different. Stronger…bolder. _She had no fear._

"You don't honestly believe that you can leave do you? Your time has run out! I can predict your every move."

Clarissa pulled a grenade from her belt and the first arcs of blue energy began to encircle her arm. "Predict this." And she pulled the pin.


	21. Revelations

Revelations

Revelations

"You never find out how much you actually trust someone until they do something that is on all accounts stupid and you're in the vicinity. An example of that happened when we were in the corridor. There we were, with a horde at our front, and cold blast resistant steel at our backs. In my mind we were fucked. Royally fucked-by the entire football team. If I'd been a lesser anthro I might have shitted myself right then and there.

But I didn't. Even though I was scared out of my mind right then, afraid that I would die without having fathered a child, might die without meeting the woman of my dreams. I didn't because I trusted her. I trusted her more than anyone else I'd ever known. Later I chalked it up to adrenaline but…hell..

I didn't realize it then… The woman of my dreams, the angel for which I'd have given my life for… She was standing right in front of me, with a fucking grenade in one hand, the pin in the other and grinning more savagely than the devil himself.

What happened next..I still can't explain it. She tossed the grenade into the air…and time itself stopped…" –Zachary

Clarissa opened her eyes-and saw nothing. Darkness surrounded her, and the very suddenness of it caused her to cry out involuntarily. Where was she? Was she dead, captured by the AI and in some holding cell somewhere?

No the rational side of her answered. She raised her arm to her nose, by this time she'd realized that she was nowhere else than on the Malarkey, in the medical wing. She could smell the scent of smoke and ionization…perhaps from whatever shitstorm they'd waded through down below. Then her nose picked up something warm, and intoxicating, almost exotic, like the smell of cedar logs or pine needles. It was Zachary's scent. Judgeing by the fact that she was nude he had carried her in…she had been unconscious.

Clarissa quickly did a mental self-check…nothing had been done to her. But then Zachary didn't seem to be the sort who would do that. Strange…that I should think that he would be any different from any of the males in the district…a vagina is a vajina after all. But for some reason she did.

Clarissa shifted herself over to the side of the bed and prepared to get off…and then the alarms went off. A high pitched beeping went off for about fifteen seconds, during which her mind raced, until the obvious choice presented itself.

Zachary had rigged the scanners for motion sensitivity, he'd wanted to know the moment she'd come awake. As if to prove that, she heard a loud thud from the upper level and the sound of feet hitting the deck plating. There was the loud clank of the lift doors opening and closing, then the hum of the lift's motors.

He was on his way.

Despite his extreme exhaustion, what with the events of the past 24 hours still being fresh upon his mind, one thing was still certain. He knew his ship like the back of his hand. Of course right now, the back of his hand was barely distinguishable from concrete, he hadn't had the chance to shower yet.

None of them had, they'd been to tired after ferrying the humans back to their base, referring Morris for a tribunal and receiving payment…hell he was amazed he could even balance correctly.

He didn't know why he'd rigged the sensor grid, she 'd been unconscious after…whatever had taken hold of her had run it's course. She was a fully-grown vixen, and she could take care of herself…he assumed.

As he turned another corner he sighed heavily. What the hell was it about this one that intrigued him? Sure she was pretty-hell beautiful, the best damn looking thing since- He stopped his train of thought here. She had looks yes. But she was simply another girl.

Simply another…shit… This expletive was released mentally due to the fact that he had walked directly to the medical ward of his own accord. Not that he hadn't been expecting it but…he hadn't really known what he'd expected to see.

He was almost afraid to look up, he didn't know what he'd see. Not that he'd see much, his night vision had always been a bit…off since his exposure to a selenium flare three years back. Carefully he flipped on the lights.

"You know…you picked a hell of a time to regain consciousness."

Clarissa grinned at him from the side of the bed. "What, you're not spry at-" she looked at the wall clock, "At 0400 in the morning?" Zachary chuckled. "Not after 48 hours of continuous activity…"

Clarissa's eyes lost their momentary playful glow, and the look in them spoke volumes. "And if you're wondering, yes we all got out none the worse for wear. The human forces lost five of their fire teams…they had been converted…"

Zachary crossed the room and sat down on the chair next to the bedside. "If it hadn't been for you…what you did.._whatever it was…I don't think we would have gotten out._" His voice was low…almost reverential in nature, and Clarissa was surprised by this. He was speaking as if she'd caused the second coming of Christ.

Clarissa looked at him for a moment and then cast her eyes downward, her hands pulling her blanket over her breasts, in order to fight off the sudden chill that came over her. "That's the thing…I don't remember it. Any of it. I remember the grenade…it was in my hand. I pulled the pin and I-" She stopped and breathed in sharply.

"I should remember this…it was…I felt…angry…and I-" Her voice halted again and when she again spoke it was in a whisper, as fragments of memories flitted before her mind's eye.

"There was light…I could feel it…"

…arcs of energy crackled round her wrists as she held the grenade aloft, waiting for the catalyst within it to ignite…

"A voice…it was _me…_ I was talking to myself…or to you…I…"

"…_She desires power…the power to retake her life, to make her mark on the world…to live…"_

"I can't…"

…_Localized Time Distortion Protocol Active…_

Clarissa was suddenly shaken out of her fugue by Zachary's hand grasping her wrist. She looked up at him, and unexpected tears were shimmering in her eyes. "_Zachary…please…I need to know…"_

His free hand reached over to the bedside table and picked up a datapad. As he handed it to her, he stood and said. "She told me to give it to you…"

"Who?"

"You did."

And with that he stood and left the room, shutting off the lights as he left. The darkness reigned until Clarissa fumbled with the devices 'on' switch and booted it up, light from the display flooding the room.

Her eyes were glowing…

This single image permeated the screen for several seconds, and Clarissa found herself mesmerized by those eyes. She could now see why Zachary had spoken of her in such a hallowed manner…they were beautiful-and terrifying. And then she began to speak, this secondary self, and the voice, Clarissa realized, was as she had imagined it, It was her, but with more power…she seemed stronger…bolder. This was not the Clarissa that she knew.

"Clarissa…if you're hearing this…then you have escaped the confines of the facility and are now laying in the Malarkey's medical bay And Zachary has kept his word, as I and eventually you will expect him to. You may wonder who I am…why in the midst of a battlefield I can stand and speak to you thus…behold…"

The vixen stepped back and gestured toward the background that had been obscured by her face. The wraiths behind them were frozen in their tracks, their mouths frozen open in mid breath. Motes of dust hung suspended in time, as did the first bolts of rifle fire from the front phalanx of Anthros.

What…?

Clarissa stepped back into full view.

"_In answer to your question…I have stopped time. Or rather initiated the'Localized Time Distortion Protocol…one of the many hidden abilities of the Quantum Matrix-and one that will be locked to you…for now" _The vixen sighed and her voice took on an almost loving tone, as if she was talking to a sister.

"_For years you have lived under the crushing weight of your supposed mistakes and failings. You have lusted for power…the ability to retake your life…and craft it as your own. You have acted as if there is no one who cares about your phlight…and in this you are wrong. I am the collection of all of your experiences Clarissa. Pleasure, pain…loss… All of the various variants of you floating throughout the infinite universes… And I am here to give you this message._

_In the coming months you will undergo a journey…one that will test you to your limits. One in which you have the chance to achieve your unspoken goals…finding a mate…becoming prosperous. Living the life that your-or rather __our __fathers would have wanted for you. But this is not like in a story or fairy tale._

_You are not guaranteed success. It is entirely up to you Clarissa. You must unlock these powers, and fulfill your destiny, despite the unseen hordes that defy you. Because you are special…the one who will be tested…"_

"_Haven't I been tested enough?"_ Clarissa whispered, and bit back a cough as tears of emotion streamed down her face.

"_No…you have not." _ The 'other' Clarissa said, and the vixen's jaw dropped slightly in shock. _"I know you. Stubborn. Blockheaded. Tough as nails. They made us battle-axes kid. Hell…three or four years in the Pleasure District…I'd have gone insane."_

Clarissa stepped back from the camera and raised her right arm and pointed it at the wall, light beginning to build up along it's length. "_This right here…is the one assist I'm allowed to give you-after this you're on your own. Good luck. I'm rooting for you_…" Clarissa was only able to glimpse an energy beam suddenly flare outward from the palm of her hand and begin tunneling into the wall before the camera was thrown backward-and the image cut out.

Clarissa placed the data pad gently upon the table and drew her knees up to her chin. The tears were streaming down her cheeks, and her hands clenched the sheets tightly. She was exhilarated and afraid and bewildered at the same time.

"Clarissa?"

She turned towards him and saw his strongly muscled form wreathed in light from the hallway. In that moment she felt impossibly small, and said. "Zachary…I need you to do something for me…and I don't want you to take it the wrong way…I…"

Her voice caught and Zachary stepped forward, his own eyes radiating the same mixture of emotions that hers did. "Trust me…when I heard it I was just as confused as you were and, I-" His breath caught because when he had approached the bed she had sprung up and locked him into a fierce embrace.

Zachary felt his skin prickle as her breath seared across his neck. "I'm sorry…I'm just…" She loosened her grip and looked into his eyes. "She _knew_ me…better than I know myself. What does it all mean, this 'quantum matrix' thing…all this shit about my destiny?"

She embraced him again and he was aware of the feel of her breasts against his rapidly beating heart. "I just don't know what to think….God…"

"Don't think…just relax…you'll discover what she meant in your own time…" And In this way, Zachary held her. He was aware of her heartbeat, of the soft rise and fall of her chest followed by the occasional hiccup when a gentle sob broke through. His hands sifted through the dirt and smoke-stained fur of her neck and back, gently stroking her, his nose taking in her scent, and registering it's heavenly aroma. He took her palm in his and examined it, amazed that not hours ago searing beams of blue energy had been channeled through them. And he wondered if what the blue-eyed goddess had said was true.

Finally…slowly…almost with reluctance the two disengaged. Clarissa's hands unwrapped themselves from around his mid-section and as she did so he felt the edges of her lips brush against his cheek. "Listen" she said, looking down at the floor rather ashamedly. "I'm sorry that I…well…"

"What are you sorry for? You reached out to someone…we all do it. You're afraid of fucking up…just like I am. Just…don't worry. You'll turn out fine." He smiled lightly, and he saw the barest hint of a grin tug at the edges of her muzzle.

"You won't tell anyone will you?"

"No."

"Good night. If you have any more questions…or want your stuff, meet me in the lounge in the morning."

"Okay."

As Zachary walked out of the infirmary and toward his room he knew that she was quite probably relegating this experience to the trash bin, it was a moment of chance, unlikely to happen again. They were not attracted to each other…not in the slightest.

But as he approached the door, and felt the vixen's phantom touch on the back of his neck, he knew that he would never forget. Even if he crushed it towards the back of his mind…he could never _forget_. _Her smell…her touch. The look in her eyes_. Could he forget, and more importantly-did he even _want_ to? 


	22. Advice From the Bottle & the Fog of War

Advice from the Bottle & the Fog of War

The _Hyperion's _small, rather ornate bar was empty save Zenia and the lone bartender, an aged stoat wearing a meticulously pressed red suit who leaned against the granite countertop reading a novel of some sort. Zenia didn't mind the abscence of people, in fact at this moment she needed the solitude. She needed to think-and that required silence.

It had happened before, in the exact same manner, he'd send one of his minions down on some pretext, and since she could never refuse, could never dredge up an excuse which wouln't be torn apart like tissue paper upon inspection she always went. It had been no more than seven times to date, but each time left her feeling more debased and degraded than the last. This had been the worst.

"_I can make or break you cat…' _

The rats words still echoed in her ears as she took another sip of the red liquid.

_No…you are wrong. You did not make me-I made me. I pulled myself up by my damn bootstraps. I perservered through luck and cunning and through a resume that had 10 other companies begging for my services. You say you made me…take comfort in these delusions. I shall break you..and when I do…you'll know._

Zenia downed the rest of her wine in a gulp, sniffed and then strode over to the bar to pay her bill. "Miles to go before you sleep eh?" Zenia stopped as she approached the entranceway.

"Robert Frost, a human poet."

"Correct. I saw you looking out at the stars; it helps clear the head when things aren't going the way they should." The old stoat put down the glass he had been washing and looked at her with a wise bespectacled eye.

"What do you mean?" she queried, wondering what the old one had picked up on. "You've had your feathers in a bunch since you walked in here not an hour before. Guess you've had a run in with Valmont eh?"

"How-"

"Madam, I've lived throughout thr terms of three of these bastards and I can tell you that excluding the first origional founder they were all exactly like him. Pompous wine-swilling swine who screwed everything in sight and used the company's money like it was their own." He stopped and fiddled nervously with his spectacles and then his tie. "Not that it's my place to complain of course-"

Zenia stopped him with an upheld finger. "You are in no danger…these remarks won't leave these walls. I empathize with you-completely. Soon that change will come."

The stoat straigtened his red suitcoat slightly and examined her closely. "You…at the forefront? Many have said that…and failed. I'll offer you one piece of advice. Don't become like him. Use this experience to your advantage, as a lesson of what power does to those who wield it improperly."

Zenia's eyes widened in incredulity, advice could come from the most unlikely of sages. "I will. Thank you."

And with that she left the bar.

In the end, Clarissa had been right- there was more blood yet to be spilled. And after they had left the planet, limped back to the Malarkey…the full impact of what had just happened hit them. All shared one common emotion: anger. They should have seen it coming, but only Clarissa had really guessed what had lain ahead.

The three mercenaries sat in the ship's briefing room, the lights dimmed, the screen blank. At first, none dared to speak, except to mutter cursory hellos as they each filed in. But each eventually felt the need to express what they had seen well up from within. There was nothing to do during the long hours of transit, no systems to adjust, no repairs to make as the Malarkey had suffered no damage during the entire affair, no coordinates to enter…the damage reports for all of their personal fighters had been printed and sat next to each, though none dared read them.

And so, hesitantly at first they began to talk. Shiva began, reaching into the pocket of her jeans and pulling out a long silver bullet. "See this? It's what we in the sniper business call a tunneler round. You can punch through walls- or through multiple targets with one of these. Three headshots at once-and they didn't even blink.. They just…walked over the dead."

Lou was next. "It's funny. You'd think that after all this time you'd get used to killing, and I guess in some way we all are. Just pull the trigger or flip the detonator switch and poof, they're dead. You move on, knowing that they're the enemy, that there was a reason for killing them. You might take sleeping pills or antipsychotics but…in some way you deal with it. This one was different. It…They" He paused as Clarissa entered the room and sat down at the chair closest to Shiva.

"They were..still in there…their minds…fighting to get out. They were civilians…they didn't want this fight. And yet we still cut them down."

Zachary slid a sheet of paper across the table. "Damage report." Clarissa grimaced. Finally she spoke. "I wasn't really awake during the fight…what happened?' Zachary looked at her strangely, and she replied, "I merely want to know their perspectives…look at it from a different angle."

He nodded almost imperceptibly. Shiva began, wrapping her wings around her body, as if to defend herself, or ward off the cold. "I was…near the array when it happened. We were all debating wether on not to pull the switch when this…_wave_ of energy hit. My fur stood up, and I could see one of the men frozen in mid stride, unable to move. I was frozen as well, and I believe that if I could have looked at my watch it would have been locked at whatever time it currently displayed. I could think, thank god for that."

Lou spoke next. "I was facing the compound when I saw it. There was a low rumble-and a column of energy rocketed upward, at least 11 feet across. It was blue. Five second duration then we were able to move again."

"Everything happened at once" Shiva said. "The droid foundry started spitting out Mark V's at a ludicrous pace. They were firing. Miraculously nothing hit us. The computer seemed disoriented. We started retreating toward the landing pads-and that's when we saw them."

She gestured toward Zachary and he picked up the ball. "You'd' lost consciousness about halfway up the tunnel, so I had to carry you-weapons and all. The wraiths were behind us, mere feet, but somehow I managed to stay ahead of them. Adrenaline rush, I guess."

Lou began again: "As soon as they got out the tunnel we started throwing. Grenades, live detpacks, anything we could think of to slow them down. I saw males, females…some didn't fit their armor. Some of them, toward the end didn't even have weaponry, they just came at us with their teeth bared and their hands outstretched. And we killed them. Fire, reload, retreat, all in an effort to get to the landing site with no knowledge of what lay ahead."

Clarissa finally spoke. "You obviously got to the landing pad, what happened there?"

"Both of the pilots had been killed, one when a shot from the defensive turrets totaled the cockpit, the other as he stood outside for a smoke. So we had one transport for the humans to use, filled to emergency capacity and barely able to fly. Our craft had taken a slight beating but the _Jenny's_ shields had auto-engaged the moment the defenses went online. I jimmied the ramp, got inside, powered up-and the shields disengaged. And with the droids flitting about trying to nail us…I don't know how we made it out."

Zachary sighed and for the first time that morning she saw that he looked immensely tired. "They climbed; Shiva escorted the humans to the upper atmosphere while Lou tried to provide covering fire-I was having trouble getting the engines started."

"And then we were out." Shiva finished. Silence fell momentarily before Lou and Shiva abruptly left, needing to get away from the oppressive atmosphere that dwelt in the room. Zachary and Clarissa stayed, looking at one another.

Finally the vixen picked up her damage report and asked the question that had been plaguing her since the recount had begun to concern her ship. "How bad is the damage on a scale of one to ten?"

"Eight…eight point five."

"What exactly did you _do _to it?" Clarissa's voice now had a slight edge to it, and he saw her begin to sift through the papers as she waited for him to speak. "I finally got it started, turned off all the limiters and put it in a vertical climb. Held the boosters on until we got out."

Clarissa's next words were a whisper. _"You took my ship, and put it in a vertical climb…from a cold start. Holding the boosters. And with the limiters OFF?" _Clarissa slammed the papers down onto the table in fury. _"My right front engine and left rear nacelle are dead, do you hear me, DEAD! The main shafts broke on both of them, coolant manifolds blew. I've got conduits out all across the board. There's missing armor plating, rear turret housings are shot…"_

"You should be happy…I saved your life." She continued, almost unhearing_. "…there's other…other stuff. I've had this ship for five years and never…shit" _She leaned back in her chair and drummed her fingers against the tabletop. _"How in the hell am I gonna pay for this huh?"_ She took the credit chip from her pocket and flipped it, catching it with her other hand. _"This won't even cover a quarter of it."_

"She said you'd be tested Clarissa."

"Oh don't throw her words back at me."

"They're _your_ words."

After a moment she wiped a tear from her eye and said, "I'm sorry…it's just…. Once you've had a ship for a while it becomes like a child. You love it, care for it. And when it gets hurt…you feel it."

"I've got a friend at the station we're heading for, muskrat owes me a favor. He can fix her up for you, probably improve performance overall." She nodded and then arose. "Zachary"

"Hmm?"

"I wanted to thank you for last night." She had gotten up and begun walking over to his side of the table.

"What are you-"

Her shadow fell over him, and he fell silent, captivated by her presence, the way her eyes bore into his own. _"I'm taking a risk."_ she breathed, and then without warning, bent down and kissed him.

The kiss was short, no more than five seconds, Zachary's entire body tensing as he felt her nails reach up to brush his jaw. He swore he could feel energy coursing through her palm as it caressed his cheek, could see the ethereal blue glow in the back of her eyes as they locked with his.

When the kiss broke she stepped back and helped Zachary, who seemed slightly unsteady to his feet. "Why…why did you do that?" he breathed.

"I haven't been kissed in over three years. I wanted to break the cycle."

Zachary steadied himself against the table and quipped. "Well, if you happen to have an urge to break a dry spell of another more carnal sort…please, don't hesitate to-" "Not on your life fuzz-butt. I'll probably end up kicking myself later anyway. I just needed something to get my mind off the _Jenny_ that's all. I'll be in her cockpit if you need me, getting a more detailed damage report ready for submission. Let me know when we're planet side and I'll undock and see if I can't crash land the old girl."

"Will do. I'll be up on the bridge laying out the itinerary for the day-and trying to keep my brain form overheating."

"Oh come on, it couldn't have been that good."

"It had a sort of-"( he didn't want to say passion, that was too forward,) "a sort of flair about it. Very enticing."

"Thank you." She smiled gently. And with that, the pair left the briefing room and went their separate ways.


	23. A Frank Discussion

A Frank Discussion

Page 5 of 5 Tenth Circle:

Created By: Alexander Cole

A Frank Discussion

Clarissa's face was grim as she exited the airlock, and Zachary, who had left the bridge after completing his itinerary early felt a pang of guilt race through him as he contemplated the state of the ship tethered to theirs.

"How bad is it?"

Clarissa removed her gloves and stuffed them into a pocket. "Completely and utterly fubar. Needless to say the ship's error checking programs are a good deal more thorough than your Malarkey's scanners are." She started ticking off fingers as she spoke. "I managed to lock down the fuel supply to the affected engines and shift some residual power to the auxiliary landing thrusters, should help in the descent. When the shafts broke they tore through two of the containment emitters, so the entire cowling's been compromised. Sensor grid is alright, but the armor paneling on the underside has been compromised, possibly due to the shields cutting off when you attempted to power it up."

She began to walk aimlessly toward the other starcraft as she spoke, Zachary trailing in her wake. "Enough about your bird, what's the prognosis on yours?"

"Well if it's any consolation, mine had the most damage out of all of our fighters. Lou was second, he had to cover us from the droids as well as control my starcraft via some hack he did involving my ship's COM system."

The leopard's voice rang out. "For your information all I did was set the engines to climb, a full retro burn. Simple, crude, but it got it into the upper atmosphere."

"Oh, stop being so modest." There was an answering laugh, which receded as they finally reached Zachary's assault fighter. Clarissa's fingers brushed against the metal hull, with an almost tender caress, and she said, "She's got character, I'll say that much."

Zachary's voice was almost wistful as he spoke. "I had her since I started as a merc. Four engines, blasters and ion cannons up to the eyeballs and a missile, torpedo, and mine laying setup."

"Looks as if she could handle even my Spartan."

Zachary keyed in an access code and the canopy lifted, exposing the pilot and copilot seats. "You wanna check out the control setup?"

"Sure." Clarissa placed her hands upon the lip of the cockpit and attempted to hoist herself up-and failed.

"My arms-I can't….I can't lift up."

Zachary's expression was bemused. "And you're telling me this because….?"

"Help me up, you idiot."

She grasped his left wrist and guided his hand toward her hips. A chorus of catcalls and whistles sounded from not 20 feet away. Zachary and Clarissa both turned to see Shiva and Lou, who had been previously attempting to affect stopgap repairs on their ships, in between bantering and shooting the breeze, now engaged in a bout of raucous laughter at the scene laid out before them.

"Oh come _off _it you two. Act your age!" Zachary had to fight to keep his face straight, as Shiva replied, "I'm over 60 years old, so where in the hell do I fit in?" The pair chucked once again and then turned back to their work.

Zachary placed his hands upon the vixen's backside, attempting to ignore the sensuous curves, or the manner in which her back arched slightly in order to allow him purchase and hefted her bulk upwards.

"My god, what did you do, eat cement for breakfast?"

Clarissa settled herself into the co-pilots station and shot him a glare. He seemed to think for a moment and then pressed another sequence of buttons on the keypad. The ship beeped and then began to lower on its landing gear. "Ah, so you _can_ adjust the shocks."

Clarissa was incredulous. "So you're telling me that you could have done that in the first place? ." She shot a look at him as he began clambering over the side. "You did it just so you could-" She bit her lips to keep from smiling at his nerve and faced toward the controls, attempting to keep from registering the pleasant tingle his touch had elicited. He climbed in, closed the cockpit and attempted to boot up the system.

As the German shepherd worked he activated the in-ship COMs and spoke. "I…actually I wanted to know if you could help me pull up that damage log that you did for your ship. I'm quite sure mine has one installed somewhere but I never could figure out how to access it."

"Why not ask Lou to pull it up for you?"

"I've never had to use it before… and he doesn't know the _Zirconian Bell-73_ that well. She's an aged model and you might know how she runs perhaps..." His voice trailed off, and Clarissa felt a slight pang of remorse. Her fingers flew across the keypad as she began to trawl through the ship's operational system. As she worked however, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was another reason for his request, something he wanted to ask her, perhaps something he was building up to.

"Clarissa…I wanted to ask you something. What did you mean when you said you were…taking a risk?"

Clarissa's breath caught in her throat and her fingers froze in mid stroke. This was it, the question he'd been holding back for the last hour and a half since they'd kissed. Clarissa was altogether stymied by the question, and for a few seconds said nothing, staring at the rudder controls in an attempt to compile an answer.

What _had_ she meant?

"It's okay if you don't want to answer me…I was simply confused by your choice of words is all." His voice sounded oddly hollow, almost defeated in a way. She saw his hand move toward the eject switch, and Clarissa's mind suddenly realized that he felt spurned, rejected in some way.

Quickly she reached forward through the small gap separating the two sections and grasped his shoulder gently. "Hold on…I'm just thinking."

Silence reigned for a few more seconds during which she could see Zachary's eyes darting nervously about the inside of the cockpit, almost as if he was at the same time afraid and exhilarated. Was she the one causing this emotional storm?

"What I meant Zachary, was that it was…dangerous. Being mercenaries…it is dangerous to become close to other individuals, a relationship makes both you and the other partner liabilities to each other and the team. If one is captured then, the other may go on a mad rampage in order to find the other, ransoms can be arranged…"

_So it was nothing more than physical gratification for you then? Is that all that it meant?_

Zachary had to fight to keep his jaw from clenching. "Did our embrace last night mean nothing then?"

"No…it meant a lot to me. You really don't know how much it helped…" Clarissa immediately began kicking herself for her choice of words, she sounded so clinical that it must seem as if she didn't care about how he felt.

She felt a note of frustration creeping into her voice as she said, "I have not had a significant relationship in a long time. An extremely long time. Part of it is due to the reasons previously mentioned…and a good deal of it is because of what happened to me in the District. Certain scars don't heal. Ever."

"What did they do to you Clarissa? What could any one person have done to you that made you…give up on others?"

_It wasn't one person it was hundreds it was the fear, the hatred the sheer mind bending hatred of the opposite sex that had finally driven her to- _ Her brain suddenly flashed her an image of herself, slightly younger, half naked in a dank cell, straddling the chest of a wolverine. His eyes were wide with fear, those that had only seconds before been filled with malice, lust. _Why should he see? _She thought. Her fingers plunged downward, her mouth curved upward in a demonic half smile-

"I…I can't tell you."

Zachary turned round in his seat and gently took her hand. "You can run from your past as long as you want. But if you keep running, you'll never realize what you've missed. Or who."

Clarissa's throat tightened and her fingers linked with his, she couldn't resist this single act of compassion, not when it had cut this deeply, as if he was inside her head having known what she had experienced.

"I'm not asking you to promise anything to me, or even to show any interest. I just want you to know that I value you quite deeply as a friend. And if…later on your feelings extend any deeper, then we could explore where the path takes us…."

_My god…he understands…_

The pair sat there for a moment, holding hands and studying each other, Clarissa noting the way the dark, and light brown colorations of his fur blended together to make an odd tapestry, Zachary memorizing her features with the attentiveness of a sculptor.

After a time Clarissa said, "You saw the video before you gave it to me?"

Zachary nodded.

"Do you think it's true…what she said…that I'll find someone?"

Zachary thought for a moment of the myriad answers that he could give her, each of which could elicit a kaleidoscope of reactions from her. The truth…she needed to hear the truth.

His voice was candid when he finally spoke." I could lie to you, and say that it's written in stone that you'll find someone. But as she said about everything involving you and your destiny, it's dictated entirely by you. I believe that with your strong willed disposition, your good looks and talents there won't be a shortage of males both anthro and human who will…desire you. But whether they're _right _for you and will actually fulfill your needs…remains to be seen."

He hesitantly met her gaze, wondering if he'd said the right thing. Who was he, a 27 year old mercenary with bad night vision and no current beau, to be attempting to advise anyone, least of all her about relationships. Her hand twitched in his and he refocused his gaze.

"Of course…you're right. It's up to me it's _always_ up to me. No assistance, no divine intervention, not even a freakin user manual, just go out there, play your hand and pray that you get lucky." There was an edge to her voice and Zachary felt her grip tighten reflexively.

"_I'm angry at god Zachary."_

The radio crackled to life, interrupting their thoughts. _"Lou to Zachary…you are needed on the bridge. We have landing fees to negotiate…and I hate dealing with assholes. You're better in that regard. So-"_

"I know, get up there on the double." Zachary responded before closing the line. He then reached his hand round and place it gently upon her chest. He felt her stiffen slightly, then relax. "In regards to relationships…luck plays about a 30 percent role. Your heart will fill in the gap. _Let it guide you._" He felt her heartbeat skip seemingly and then pulled the release lever with his free hand. "I'll have Shiva be your copilot. She's one of the best pilots on the team…if anyone can get your old bird down to the surface she can."

He smiled, then heaved himself over the side and began jogging toward the lift. Clarissa sat there for a few moments taking in what he had said. _Follow your heart._ Her hand went almost unconsciously to her breast, noting the spot where Zachary's palm had rested.

_Follow your heart…_

_Will It lead me to him? _ This question formed itself in her mind as she descended the ship's ladder and began walking toward the airlock. She would find out, she resolved. One way or another…she would know.

5

Page 5 of 5 Created By: Alexander Cole 


	24. Queen Takes Pawn

(A/N) Hello there dear readers…sorry about the long as hell delay. Blame writers block, vacation in myrtle beach and a vegetarian section of my family who would not let me use a computer whilst I was at the resort to save my soul. Rest assured this chapter will grab you and hold you in it's teeth, heh. The chapter following this one is night complete as well and as soon as some technical issues are fixed it will be posted perhaps as soon as a day or so from now or as late as the end of this week. This next section will deal with gravity… cascades and newfound powers. Enjoy.

Queen takes Pawn

"…_Please note the ferocity with which the killing bite is delivered by the cheetah's normal variant. Fig-13 can be used as a reference. Now note the same marks and patterning along with stress marks within the flesh, slight laceration and fracture points located in the third and fourth vertebrae of the victims neck if you'd be so kind as to refer to the visual appendix of your text… Image 234 and X-ray plate A-07 _

_It had been theorized that when anthro individuals are pressured to a certain degree they will act upon their instinctual triggers. I believe that serial killers who exhibit this trait are less in control of these base impulses and find some gratification in the act. Some have referred to Darwinian philosophy or the 'law of the jungle' as a motivation for the act and subsequent killings. The kill/crush/bite is to the carnivorous killer the ultimate symbol of domination, control. And to future forensic psychologists like yourselves this is a critical indicator of a very disturbed mind." -Excerpt from New Harvard Psychology lecture "The Thought Behind the Knife" by Professor Langstrom Nugent the third_

"Would you like to know something interesting?"

This question had been asked after Zenia had finished her final bite of lamb and set down her fork. Around them the hustle and bustle of the restaurant seethed like an ocean in the midst of a typhoon. The pair sat at the far corner table, a single unmoving rock in this ocean of chaos. And one of the rocks was sweating. And it most definitely was not Zenia.

Of the majority of individuals who met her, half were either stunned speechless by her reputation, her sheer presence, the ability to command and give orders with perfect precision. Or her beauty. And if those persons, those hapless observers were members of the Draxel Coalition, and if they were significantly of a low level they noted one thing as well. She was a threat. A 

threat to them…to everything they worked for. Corruption was never tolerated well…at least not when Valmont was the one to notice it.

The lynx blinked owlishly and recovered, this having been the first thing approaching normal speech that she had directed to him the entire evening. To him she brought forth images of a coiled spring…bursting with unreleased power. He knew he had to respond…but then how did one respond to one who was known to be slightly…unpredictable?

"Yes."

Zenia knew this one…Montague. He'd worked the Outer Rim with the Coalition for about 3 months now and had begun to settle into his role. He was a good distributor…honest as Abraham Lincoln…not a single black mark against him from the financial office. That didn't matter to Zenia. He'd worked in proximity to Barristo…he would do.

He was altogether handsome…attractive even, and in her younger days when she'd been interested only in money and power and to some degree sex, she would have gone after him like a leech to a freshly opened wound.

The feline smartly pulled aside a waiter and ordered dessert for them both before speaking. "Chocolate mousse…a delicacy no matter what planet you are from, no? Now… the meal that you have just consumed..the artfully prepared cut of lamb which would serve to make any carnivore swoon… what do you think it was made from?"

Montague was stymied for a moment scrambling for an answer. "You are free to say that you do not know…you are not being judged." She smiled warmly and he felt an odd tingling feeling at the tip of his tail. Despite his nagging suspicion that this was a parallel to a spider/fly analogy he quickly said. "I am afraid that I do not follow miss Pentagra."

"It is better to admit one's ignorance than remain silent and unknowing. Now…" she gestured at a young smartly dressed ram in a blue suit who was busy servicing tables in the middle of the room. "He of course and others like him would be the more natural choice…and I am quite sure that some of us who lean toward more…shall we say 'live' food would think and act accordingly." She grinned in a slightly disconcerting manner and Montague noted the flash of her teeth. Could she perhaps be that callous as to partake of such things? No…even she had to have limits.

Zenia noted his unconscious discomfort and caught herself. Changing tactics she continued. "No my friend…this piece of meat has been shipped thousands of miles to reach this plate. On the human home world and other various colonies the 'old world' counterparts of us…the real animals dwell and thrive. Swine…avians and herd animals. All were domesticated and bent to the human will. And respectively to their dinner plate. Now…it's big business."

"I'm guessing that they shipped live specimens through the gates and grew them en masse?"



Zenia nodded simply…this one was smart- which made the task at hand slightly unpleasant. It was best to end this quickly. Zenia motioned for him to rise and bagged both desserts when they arrived. The pair headed toward the door, and as they walked the feline subtly shifted her body language, allowing her hips to sway from left to right as she walked, extending her legs fully with each stride and curving her tail behind her as the pair progressed.

Zenia suddenly veered away from the hovercraft lot and steered herself and him toward a dark alleyway at the side of the building. The dim streetlamps above it barely penetrated the gloom, and the outlines of disposal units could be seen as the pair penetrated the dark beyond.

"Wha-" She silenced him by pressing a soft finger to his lips. He jumped at this unexpected shift and she tightened her grip on his arm. "The real reason why I called you here was not for a mere economics lesson…but for something far more serious." Her voice had settled into a whisper, which floated over his ears like a feather on the wind. "There has been a financial problem…Barristo one of our distribution agents has been found to be…'mooching' to use vernacular, off of our profits. Drugs…money, side deals as well. We've found him…he's been dealt with. Harshly."

"He's dead then?"

Zenia nodded.

She then gently turned his face to look at her, locking him in place with her eyes-and using her free hand to activate a sound suppression field generator in her pocket. "However his accomplice remains at large. I require your help to find him…bring him to justice."

"What do you require me to do?"

"The job will be difficult…stressful. Perhaps painful and short lived. _Brutish _even…"

She was unable to keep her canines from flashing in amusement at the irony of this statement, and instead lowered her face briefly as if considering something as she got her face under control. From this vantage point the pair looked like lovers preparing to catch a quick kiss before departing…and either the synthetic pheromones she had dabbed at the base of her neck were working…or he really was playing his part. And as she could practically feel the lust seething through his form she felt assured that it was the former.

Slowly she brought her leg up to rub against his thigh. This elicited a shudder and also brought the Shrike holstered in her boot within reach of her right hand. "What are you…" his words were lost in a muffled curse as an involuntary purr wound it's way out of his throat. "An act my dear…merely an act. We wouldn't want to raise suspicion would we? Passers by…you know. Not that we can be seen." She gently nuzzled the underside of his jaw…pulling him deeper into her embrace-and gently forcing his head up so that when the blow came it would not be seen.

"It begins…with…your _life..." _In one swift movement she unholstered the knife lodged in her boot's holster, pressed him against the wall and buried it up to the hilt in his chest, any lower and 

she would have slit his stomach-and it wouldn't do to have hydrochloric acid getting on her hands or spilling out beyond the alley.

He struggled and cried out in pain, she shifted the knife in response. Zenia felt the wild thrashing of his heart beneath her palms and began to purr, a deep almost sickening rumble that chilled the dying feline to his core.

With a sudden burst of strength he threw her off and attempted to stagger towards the alleyway's end-but was hauled backward as she tazed him and calmly dragged his limp form toward the dead end. She threw him onto the ground and removed the knife, allowing the blood to well up freely, spilling over her hands.

"Sex…the urge to mate. And your Achilles heel. Did you really think that I would fall for you…that these _sensual caresses_ meant anything?" She laughed as he began to choke on his own blood, the capillaries in his lungs overloading and bursting…he was drowning. "Know this… if you are a male…it never will. I love Rose…only her. Never another."

He stiffened at these words and his back arched despite the weight of the feline straddling him. _Need…breath.. _Zenia noted this and shifted backwards slightly, lifting him up, and propping him against the building's wall, he had lost too much blood to be of any threat. She watched him for a moment, noting the fear in his eyes, the glint of his teeth, even going to far as to raise one of his clenched fists and study his veins- before slitting the wrist to accelerate the process.

She saw the lifeblood still pulsating in his throat and wished to taste it…to see what it was that allowed him to live…_exist._ It had been months since the last occurrence….and indulgences like these would be few and far between once she assumed power. "Know this…in the end you have completed your mission. I have found the accomplice…and I must say…you are a good deal more noble in your death throes than others." She then bent down and pressed her lips against his and purred louder still as he shuddered in disgust. It was a sick sort of compensation…that he should have pleasure in his last seconds even if it was to be received from his killer. She then bent down, opened her jaws and locked them round his throat, severing his windpipe with the first pulse from her jaw muscles.

Blood flooded into her mouth down her throat, sweet ambrosia that it was, _his_ blood, the life force of her enemy. Or pawn in this case. His pulse surged for a second, feathered weakly and died. With a twist of her head his neck snapped sharply and then she stood. Reaching into her pocket she scattered a handful of disintegrator pills onto the body and surrounding area.

A barely visible blue vapor began to rise upward as she watched. _Two minutes…_ She then removed the knife from the body, bagged it, and used a sonic stimulator imbedded in her signet ring to vaporize the blood clinging to her clothes and face.

She surveyed the street outside, noted it to be clear and strode toward her NightHawk transport. Once in she booted up, and with a press of a button made the changes to the dead lynx's records. He was now connected with Barristo in 1000 different way, they had been dealing since the beginning, there was correspondence, transfers…plenty of incriminating evidence. And enough to warrant his 'disappearance'. It had happened for lesser crimes after all. Later she would send 

the report and records to Valmont before requesting permission to expunge them-it was common practice. When one died in the real world they died in the digital realm as well.

Her free hand stowed the desserts in the vehicle's built in cooler, there was no need for sugar when the taste of blood lingered on her tongue.

The engines thrummed to life with a flick of an ignition switch and Zenia turned toward the skyline, the spaceport was her destination, or rather the ship inside the spaceport. Rose would be her next objective…apparently she had news to share…and knowing her it was bound to be useful. But Rose was no pawn. She was a queen among queens. And she was hers. And to Zenia that was all that mattered.


	25. Cascade

(A/N) Alright, shout outs to my reviewer Ninjafoxshadow...thanks for mentioning how wonderfully disturbing that chapter was...And also to Fuerstoss whow ill be reviewing quite soon I am sure. This one is a hum dinger, and nine pages no less. Bastards are finally on the ground, in the city of whatever planet i've put them on (have to come up with a name...) ready to kick ass and take names. Of course with busted ships that could be a problem. But I'm quite sure that there will be plenty I can come up with to keep them busy and on thier toes. See ya, and enjoy. And dammit, you'd better enjoy this, cause it's 12:24 in the F-ing morning in DC...Jeeze.

Cascade

_Cascade: An event on a starship or in a computer system which causes the entire system to shut down due to errors or faults. Often referred to as a 'cascading system failure" Usually caused by one small problem causing lots of other 'small' problems. These problems often build upon each other, and it is well-known small problem exhibit flocking behavior. And thus the snowball effect is exhibited… Mercenaries Flight Handbook, Glossary._

"Clarissa?"

The vixen looked up from the flight controls to see Shiva's tense features over the monitoring screens. "Yes, what is it?"

"Does your Jenny always handle like a wet sack of potatoes?"

Her response was unnecessarily curt. "No…those damages…-_shit…"_ Another alarm went off as the power levels dipped alarmingly between the two remaining nacelles.

Both had been kept busy during the entire, descent shunting power between one engine and then the other, attempting to keep both at a balanced level. Whatever had happened to the ship on it's ascent had put the auto-configure segment of the ship's OS into a tailspin, so the remaining engines wouldn't remain on a balanced power plan

This meant a lot of grunting, and swearing and glancing at the altimeter between the both of them. Clarissa twitched the stick upwards and gunned the engine slightly, putting the ship on a more level descent course. "No, actually, she handles like a sack of wet potatoes in a tutu and with ballerina shoes. "

The bat laughed in response and flicked a strand of hair out of her face, adjusting her goggles in the same motion. "I get what you mean…she's a joy when she's running green, but when things get really bad…it gets ugly."

Clarissa nodded agreement and patted the armrest lovingly. "And anyway, even if she does handle like a sack of potatoes, she's _my _sack dammit." Another burst of laughter.

Silence reigned for a few moments, then:

"Clarissa?"

"Hmm?"

"I just wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"Zachary…I don't know what's going on between you two, but whatever it is, it's done him a world of good. "

Impossibly Clarissa's heart jumped at the mention of his name. "How, exactly?"

"He…looks happier. And the way he looks at you…I wish I'd had someone dhow me that much attention. What did you two do in that conference room anyway…after we left?"

Clarissa felt a blush flooding over her cheeks. "I…I kissed him."

Shiva smiled. "Is that all? He looked as if you'd ridden him bareback."

Clarissa couldn't help laughing and quipped, "Wow…what is subtlety your middle name?"

Shiva smiled in a pained sort of fashion and then sighed. "Subtlety…I hate it…."

Clarissa blinked as she pulled back slightly on the left front's throttle. "Wait…that, can't be your_ actual _middle name, no way!" Shiva laughed. "No…sorry, bad grammar. What I meant was…the bat colonies are a big bunch of philosophers. Brilliant people. Good with tech. Only problem is they talk in shades of meaning. That, and they think that they are the bee's knees in regards to everything. You wouldn't notice it at first. But most look down on outsiders their customs and their strange ways.

The clothing is different…simple robes and garments with muted colors. Lights are usually kept to a minimum to allow full use of our echolocation. Because we fly our living arrangements can be…difficult to utilize. Very cave-like."

My family has great influence within the colony. They were the ones who gave me the ship. They were one of the few who would have given me the privilege of leaving and expanding. But I am always watched." She smiled ruefully and placed a hand against the glass as she gazed out the window. "The Vampyrum Spectrae always takes care of it's own-even if they've left the fold temporarily.

Shiva refocused on the horizon and continued. " Funny thing is that I'm the smartest of our bloodline-and the most divergent.…but I guess that's why I branch out more, why I hang out with you lot. They speak in riddles, the entire bunch…and it makes simple conversation hard. Which explains why I _know_ my parents but I don't know them in the way a daughter would normally. Sometimes you just have to be direct. Oh, I can turn it off if I need to…the slightly free-burning nature. But now that I'm around friends…" she gently poked Clarissa, "I can be free."

Clarissa was genuinely touched. "So you consider me to be a friend?" Shiva shrugged. "At your core you're not a bad person. At least not completely. You've done some things to taint your soul…you've killed – well actually all of us have. You've used…persuasive means do pull information…you may have done things out of vengeance. But you are a good person. No matter how much you attempt to deny it."

There was silence for a moment, then: "Thank you…I didn't know you had analyzed me that thoroughly."

"I can't help analyzing people. It's in my blood I guess"

Clarissa checked the altimeter again -28,000 feet to go. "Shiva…I wsas wondering…earlier you mentioned your age. Are you _really _60 years old?"

The bat grinned broadly, "Let me guess…you thought I was a teenager right?" The vixen nodded.

"That happens a lot. And often times they think I'm stupid, the anthro equivalent of a dumb blonde. But that's what most bats are like till they hit maturity. Free-spirited. Physically we age rather slowly, taking around 3 years to age the equivalent of one of yours. But age, and indeed status, is actually determined by mental maturity. I'm still young, in that regard. Or at least, they _think _I am, because I'm not like them every second of every day." There was a slight edge in her voice, and Clarissa found herself wondering if she had perhaps had issues with her family, or colony.

"Oh, and one more thing. I might as well say it, because it needs to be said. I think he actually likes you."

"Who?" Clarissa said, focusing her gaze on the cityscape that had begun to come into view over the horizon. In the distance she could see a thin cloud of whct looked like gnats flitting about the various buildings, which in reality were various hovercraft and other civilian craft flying around.

"Don't try to play dumb with me. _Zachary…_ that's who. I saw you two in the cockpit of his ship…sparks were flying." She chuckled gently at the expression of surprise which was plastered over Clarissa's face. "Don't worry, you're secret is safe with me. I'm no loudmouth, and if anyone asks, I'll just play dumb."

Clarissa had been about to shoot back some remark on how she doubted that Shiva could play dumb given her perceptiveness when she noticed a malfunction notice pop up on the HUD. "Shiva, I've got a problem with the SIF (Structural Integrity Field) generators and the shields. Requesting verification."



"Verification….obtained…hold on I'm isolating it." There was the furious tapping of keys then, "It's got some blown relays due to the energy surge when Zachary lifted off. System can't bypass it."

_Shit…_ "What's it doing?" The cabin lights dimmed slightly and then surged along with an accompanying whine from the rear of the craft. "Damn things pulling more juice than the cores can output."

"I thought we disabled it before we undocked." Shiva's eyes locked with hers. "Hardware safeguard kicked in despite your override. Swears that the SIF grid is crucial in case of a crash landing."

Clarissa's brain felt clogged. She was technically gifted but there was an extent when the mumbo jumbo ceased to be understandable. "Condense that statement for me Shiva…what are we looking at?"

The bat leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes for a few seconds. " The ship's power generators are configured to vent energy plumes through the engine louvers to compensate the damaged turbines low output. If the SIF generators keeps pulling energy, the energy core will overload. Then the engines will rev up to keep us in the air…and if we have both those shafts shatter at once…god…"

Clarissa squeezed her eyes shut and slammed her head back against the rest. "We're sitting on a time bomb then."

"Radio Zachary while I try to shut this damn generator down." Shiva nodded and opened a channel. She had only said the German Shepherd's name when the flight stick went limp in her hands. Suddenly all the lights went out exept for the control panels on the armrests and the main screens. The horizon tilted crazily and Clarissa and Shiva saw the ocean miles below them.

Shiva's voice was weak as she said, almost to the air, "Clarissa…I think the Jenny's cascading…"

On the Malarkey things had been going well since the Jenny had left it's docking port. Zachary had watched the ship making measured progress toward the city on the horizon but the craft had left his focus as the annoyance that was haggling for a fair landing zone price commenced. He and Lou tag-teamed it after a fashion, suppressing simmering tempers as they were transferred up and down the switchboards faster than a rally racer could switch gears.

During a lapse Lou remarked, "How much you wanna bet that that ocelot on the other end was flirting with me?"

Zachary leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "That warhorse is at least 60 years old, has bad teeth, probably equally bad breath…and I don't even want to breach the 

subject of her and bedrooms. But if you're feeling rich enough to attempt to bet money on a bet which I'll win quite easily…fine." The leopard frowned slightly and settled back into his chair, his mood deflated somewhat.

He had only been joking of course, neither he nor any male in a ten klick radius would even dare broach the subject of…_that. _He shuddered. But usually Zachary would play along, and conversations such as these…deep philosophical debates on the stupidity of the pilot in the air-lane to the left of them…on sexual conquests real and imagined (for Lou most were actually true) served to keep them sane. And usually Shiva would keep up with the best of them.

But ever since the ship had undocked he had sat in his command chair, his entire body radiating impatience, along with a slight tinge of worry. The image of the vixen flickered through the cat's mind again. What _had_ those two done in the briefing room after they had left. Could this be what had thrown him into a snit.

His hands itched to pull up the visual logs and run back the tapes…they would erase this annoying nagging in the back of his mind. But no…that would be sneaking in a way. And he hated to go behind his friend's back unless he had to. After all he did have access to Zachary's personal information, as well as Shiva's and a small buffer file salvaged from Clarissa's ship when it had last docked.

Privacy was a misnomer for mercs…and he needed information in case things got hot. To breach it to any greater degree would beneath him, and indeed beneath them all. "Rather testy today aren't we?"

"Wouldn't know the half of it…"

Lou closed the COM screen on his station's readout. "Any interest in divulging perhaps?"

"It's been a very odd day Lou. Dealing with complex people…and I really don't need a double portion of what's already been heaped on my plate." He thought back to Rose and their disaster…the one that _he_ had caused. "Seems as if I reordered the same damn thing without noticing it."

"In a metaphorical sense, you mean?"

The dog grunted in response. They traveled in silence for a few more moments, then Lou punched a series of commands into his console. "Let's check on how the gruesome twosome is progressing shall we?"

Zachary grunted once more, not trusting himself to be able to hide the relief in his voice upon hearing the cat's decision. Lou's finger was hovering over the transmit button when Shiva's slightly panicked voice crackled over the speakers. "Zachary-" the transmission cut out.



The dog opened a channel immediately. "Sorry, your signal cut out…didn't quite catch…oh hell…" His voice faltered as he saw the Jenny suddenly begin to drop out of the sky falling toward the ocean. A moment later the feed from Shiva's emergency setup streamed in.

_Lou we're in a freefall…need –ulgh help. She shut down on us Lou…cascading failure set off by the SIF generator's faulty power-management relays. I need you to guide me…we need to restart this thing-now._

The leopard's brain raced, normally startups took around fifteen minutes or more…could he reduce that time? "Hold on…I'll guide you…just breath okay? We'll get through this."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Zachary disengage the autopilot and strap into the pilot's position. "What the hell are you doing ?"

"Descent course…" His voice trailed off as the ship lurched downward into a dive. Lou knew what he was thinking…the towing cables could perhaps be used. That was _if _they could actually get a lock on the four towing points on the Jenny's fuselage. That was suicide however, from the extent of the damages Clarissa had mentioned a sudden stop would quite probably rip the engines from their pylons and if the ship had explosive bolts allowing for emergency detachment-which he was sure it did that only served to undermine the situation even more.

"Shiva…listen to me… this is what we have to do…"

Shiva's hands frantically flew over the keypads as Lou barked instructions into her ears. "What we're about to do is a tunneling procedure…cuts right through the main OS and lets you operate the ship via command-line interface. You say she's dead right?"

"Yes…very much so."

"Attempt a restart…use 30 percent of core 1 and 10 percent of core 2. Hit control L and X as soon as the thing tries to restart." Shiva did so and lines of code began to scroll across the screen. "What the hell is this?" Shiva cried, fear evident in her voice as the altimeter dropped to 21,000 feet.

"It's clearing the memory buffers…just ignore it. Focus on my voice…okay. Screen should be clear now, Just a cursor with the main drive directory designation behind it right?" Shiva looked and saw that he was predicting it exactly. "Yeah…it's showing that."

"I need you to go through the device command and initialize the main COM lines so I can remote access and help you out. Leave ports one through 40 open. Disengage firewall 

protection…" The jenny's antennae array suddenly sprang to life throwing itself open to all traffic. Lou locked himself in and secured the connection between the computers. "You should see some systems starting to come online…"

Shiva shot a question foreword. "Did you ever shut down that damn generator."

Clarissa replied tersely. "It shut out just when I entered the first letter. So that's a negatori…hopefully it's locked up and won't reinitialize-" She stopped talking as the cabin lights flickered on and their descent began to slow. "I'm pulsing the antigrav generator used in conjunction with the landing thrusters…should slow you a bit."

The cabin fell silent as they watched Lou's handiwork. The Cabin blowers reengaged and Clarissa heard the coughing sound which meant the engines were reengaging. A low whine built up around them and slowly their descent began to slow.

"Thank god that's over…" Shiva's sigh of relief was broken by a panicked cry from Clarissa as the ship suddenly began to rise faster and faster. "_The SIF generator is overtaxing the cores…and the engines are trying to compensate… oh we are SO dead…"_

"Emergency kill…NOW!" Lou snapped, initiating the command. "Entire system's locked when it's in crash mode…it won't respond to any of our inputs." The bat moaned tonelessly. There was a shattering crash and Clarissa looked to her right to see smoke and flames belch from the nacelle' cooling vents. Shrapnel had slammed into the canopy and cracked the armored glass before Shiva managed to engage the telescoping armored plating. In seconds they were in darkness. A crackle of energy lashed across the forward console, searing Clarissa's palms and retinas. Then the ship was plunged into darkness.

Above them Zachary shifted into position and primed the tow cables. "Lifeline one…acquiring lock…_locked._ Lou, confirm."

"Confirmed."

"_Fire_!" From the malarkey's frontal torpedo tubes a black cable as thick as a man's arm shot out, it's energy binders seeking the contact points on the engine mounts. It connected and the other three followed suit. Zachary pulled upward prematurely however.

The occupants of the Jenny were suddenly slammed against their seats as one of the dead engines was ripped completely off of it's mounting pylon. The ship was spinning like a top as it fell and Clarissa felt a surge from her stomach as vertigo hit. Shiva's hand snaked forward through the gap and grasped hers, perhaps to avoid loneliness and avoid succumbing to terror as the ground neared. 7000 feet.

Zachary's fists slammed against the console in frustration as he pulled out of the dive. "_Shit! What else…tractor beams?" _Lou's voice was hoarse. "They'll shred it like tissue 

paper at this speed and with the amount of kinetic energy it's built up…in space it might work but.."

"_Then there's nothing we can do." _Zachary turned away from the viewports and instructed Lou to pull the ship out of the dive. Neither wanted to see the end when it came.

"_Clarissa…I don't want to die…not like this."_

Her hand was painfully tight but Clarissa didn't have the heart to remove it..not now when the end was nigh for them both.

"_I'm scared…I didn't meet my mate…didn't settle down. I've wasted my life…" _

Clarissa found tears trailing down her cheeks at the bat's admission. _"I'm scared too." _she said, and brought her own hand up to cover Shiva's shaking fingers. And as she sat there… imagining the sea coming up to meet them despite the efforts of Zachary and Lou above them she envisioned the bat's glittering black eyes in the canopy's reflection and reflection and realized something. _I may be afraid…I may be near death. But I am not powerless…we are not powerless. Not me not Zachary…not Lou. None. _She turned her head backwards and felt the heat from the bat's trembling breath on her face. _I can't let her die…_

And Clarissa knew what she had to do.

The Malarkey had only risen a few hundred feet when Zachary felt a slight shock transmitted through the floor. "Was that the aftershock from the explosion…?" his throat was thick. A flash of blue blinded him as he turned round and Lou's mouth dropped as he focused the exterior cameras on the sight below him. Clarissa's ship was wreathed in blue energy, plumes of it, yards long were venting from the two remaining engines and the landing thrusters. "Are you getting this Lou?"

"Oh, _hell_ _yes!"_

"My god…" Zachary breathed. "She's doing it…_she's_ the generator…" He smiled in spite of himself.

Clarissa's voice came over the COM lines, she was panting for breath. "Get underneath us Lou…I don't know how much longer I can hold her."

"Clarissa, bring her up about fifteen hundred feet and I'll slip her underneath." Lou said as he began retracting the turrets, missile pods and antennae projecting from the communications array.



"I…I can't. Zachary…_unghh_." She grunted heavily and the ship dropped a foot. Zachary felt his heart skip. "Come on Clarissa…you can do this…just push yourself. You know what it can do, what _you_ can do. Focus on my voice…focus on me…push upwards." He saw the ship jerk upward slightly and then begin to rise. "Good girl…keep going..don't stop, you've cheated death thus far and you can keep doing it."

"Maxing SIF generators…shield output at full..." Lou's hands flew over the panels as he prepped for the Jenny's rather unconventional landing. Above the pair Clarissa struggled with the overwhelming pull on her reserves that the task of keeping the ship aloft required. Her heart was thumping wildly in her chest and her breath was hoarse as she attempted to suck in air through her open mouth.

"Clarissa…it's Zachary…you can stop now. We're underneath." Clarissa removed her hands from the power control console and gazed at her smoking fingers. As the sheer exhaustion from that act fell upon her shoulders she felt the world dim around her, awakening briefly to feel Zachary's cool fingers against her forehead, then her cheek.

"We're almost there…just hang on for a bit…please."

Her eyelids were heavy due to the pain in her head and her sudden overpowering need for sleep. "I'll…try..Zach.." Her face pressed reassuringly into his hand for an instant before she passed out and entered the void of unconsciousness.


	26. Clarissa's Promise

"_It took us around fifteen minutes to finish negotiating the landing prices and location. And this was with another ship literally on top of us. If I was a different person I'd have throttled the control tower operator myself. Unfortunately I have __**some**__ moral compunctions so that's out of the picture . Add the half hour it took to arrange for a tow-transport crew, and the further five minutes it took to convince them not to haul the Jenny off to the scrapheap given her condition…it's taken about an hour and fifteen minutes to arrange for Clarissa and Shiva's transport to the nearest hospital. _

_The bat swears up and down that she's fine, that her skeleton is built for this kind of stuff- I want them both checked out. We went through all this trouble to ensure their safety the last thing we need is a case of hidden whiplash rearing it's head during a mission. _

_I'm in the hospital now, finally. The pair had been taken in about four hours previous for examination and treatment. Shiva had slight lacerations to the face but was up and telling jokes to the gynecologist-I swear I've never heard a hyena laugh like that before. Which is a good thing considering how shaken she looked during our approach. Nothing seems to be able to keep her down…strong blood running through her veins. Clarissa came in unconscious and running a slight temperature. She also was suffering from second degree burns on her right hand- not surprising since she jammed her hand onto a live power transfer setup. Naturally she took higher priority, and since the caseload was light that day she was pulled in immediately._

_I'm due in to see her presently, just stuck here in the well furnished but ultimately boring waiting-room. Magazines are up to date at least. I have to admit that I've been on pins and needles the entire time she's been under the doctor's care. I know that she'll come out of this…she has to…the doctors are good. Guess it shows that like it or not I'm beginning to view her as more than just a friend. Oh, crap they just called my name…gotta jet. Recording A-107.3-Zachary's Travel Log._

The German Shepherd now stood outside the door of the hospital bedroom. He had been doing so for the past seven minutes, attempting to will himself to forget his own follies. His eyes shifted down to his watch 3:45 PM. A sigh of regret escaped his lips- he had failed her. He had stood there on the Malarkey's bridge and literally turned his back upon her, in her hour of need. What right did he have to even look upon her countenance, to even come within a thousand miles of her. The faux wood door stood in front of him, seemingly impenetrable in the midst of his inner turmoil. Growling slightly he forced himself to lurch foreword and slap the entrance pad. He was in the room and has closed the door behind him before he realized that the room was utterly devoid of light.

Feeling his way over to the far wall his hand reached the light switch and clicked it once. Nothing. It was only when he turned round that he saw to two blue pinpricks glittering out at him from a few feet ahead. _Eyes…_His throat was suddenly dry.

"_Hello Zachary."_

"Clarissa…I-…wait." His voice faltered as he realized that the voice was different. Deeper, colder with a rumble on every syllable which reverberated throughout the room. "_Yes Zachary…you're assumptions are correct. I am not Clarissa…rather I am the construct that inhabits this incarnation of the Quantum Matrix, and one which Clarissa is as of now unaware of." _The vixen raised her hands simply at the German Shepherd's questioning look. "_The lights? It takes a large power source to maintain a quantum field. Thus I pull energy from all available power sources."_

"There's no sound…why?"

"_I paused time…just for this moment… "_

"_What have you done with her?" _His voice was suddenly hard…angry. He was being protective…protective of _her_ he realized. This along with the Matrix's next statements caused the anger to drain from his body

"_Your fears are misplaced, she is asleep at the moment, her mind is still in limbo from the ordeal…which is to be expected. Not many react to their first activation well. You shall speak to her momentarily, I merely wished to speak with you regarding her."_

"What about her?" Zachary felt the hair on the back of his neck beginning to stand up, some part of him knew what was coming. The eyes narrowed slightly and then moved closer. Zachary heard the shuffle of footsteps, the rustle of clothing and then she was upon him, gripping his collar in her hands. _"On the ship…you abandoned her…you turned your back on her in her hour of need…why?"_

He felt his mind freeze, for the moment unaware of the proximity of their bodies, unaware of her breath upon his neck. He was reliving the anguish of those seconds….he _had _literally turned his back upon her, consigned her to her fate. "I…I was afraid. I didn't want to see her die."

"_That is a lie and you know it. You were a mercenary for many cycles…death is a part of your existence. And from our memory you are quite willing to facilitate her own death. ; 'I'd have bled you out myself if I'd known you'd be that much trouble." Those were your words…correct?" _

He nodded, knowing fully how damning those statements were. _"The truth is that you __**don't **__know the reason…it was instinctual."_

"_She's a merc…she'd have done the same."_

"_You believe that if you'd switched positions…she would have left you to the wolves? _The vixen appeared to consider his words for a moment. _"Perhaps previously. But now she is different. I did not appear to berate you- at least not for that exclusive purpose. I merely want to ask you a question and then give you my thoughts_."

"What do you want to know.?"

"_Do you desire her?"_

_Z_achary remained silent, not daring to speak. "I…value her as a friend…and possibly.." her eyes flared in annoyance and his voice faltered. _"Do not guard your speech…she will not know of our correspondence. Allow your true feelings to be expressed. Now…answer truthfully. Please?" _The last word was uttered in a voice of utter supplication, something he had never heard from Clarissa before.

"I do…desire her…more than I've desired anyone else."

A lump had developed in his throat, his jaw muscles twitched in exertion, it had taken a lot of effort to express this simple thought. The vixen looked at him for a moment, the light spilling from her eyes illumination the curves of her muzzle, the outline of her lips. In this light, garbed in the hospital's patient robes she looked like a ghost. A creature of the ether.

Finally she spoke…her voice hard with reproach. _"You may desire her….but you do not deserve her…not yet. You are still immature emotionally_-" here she pressed her hand to his chest, _"Though your body is that of an adult. You keep secrets…both of you do. And you must learn to become free with each other…or else the love between you will be nipped in the bud, like a rose killed by an early frost."_ The silence hung between them, stretching on into minutes.

Finally she stepped forward and said, _"Fulfill these conditions…and you shall have this body…these lips…and her soul as well." _She then stepped forward and pressed her lips against his, sending a surge of energy rushing though him. Bewilderment surfaced for a second before quickly being quashed by scintillating warmth, heat radiating though his entire body. Finally she pulled away and straightened her gown. _"A vision of what might be…if you play your hands right." _

As she stepped away, he couldn't help but ask, "So who did I kiss?"

The vixen looked at him out of the darkness. _"I shall give you this chance…this one chance to change the course of your history. Time will turn back. You will remember our talk. She will not. Speak with her…reveal the secrets of that moment, and of your past. Or you may be forced to reveal them…and then your world shall be dark once more." _There was the rustle of bed sheets and a slight pause. Suddenly Zachary blinked. He was outside the door _again_. His watch showed the same time it had shown when he had entered the room. As far as the rest of the world was concerned the entire event had never happened. Zachary snorted and decided not to dwell on the sheer illogic of the entire affair. His hand was on the entrance strip within a heartbeat. There was a gentle click as the locking mechanism disengaged.

And then the door was open.

………………………………...

.

Zachary entered the room to find a nurse, a young petite badger bent over Clarissa's partially upright form. She held a scanner over the vixen's arm. "Hold on I'll be with you in a moment…Zachary was it?" He nodded as the girl smiled warmly at him- and as Clarissa rolled her eyes in mock annoyance.

" Let me just get her blood pressure and heart rate…" she paused and her fingers tapped the screen as the blue bar of light skittered up and down the vixen's arm. "Systolic is a nice round ninety points and diastolic is about…no _exactly _seventy seven. Heart rate is normal as well." She looked up and turned toward him.

"You're friend here is quite a wonder. If the story you told the docs is true she should be suffering from whiplash…the bat's fine, they've got skeletons made for the stresses of flight-but her…she's got no problems whatsoever." The badger slipped the device into a pocket and said, "I wish half our patients healed like that, we'd have more open beds." Zachary smiled slightly at the joke.

"She's frightfully weak…but we believe that's just due to her balance systems being out of whack. She's got about three more hours of rest slated, and then she's free to be discharged. We've received your payment by wire of course, so you're free to leave at any time." The badger then left the room with a polite wave and a smile. The door slid shut and the two were left alone.

Zachary pulled a chair up to the bedside and sat down with a sigh. "Alright…enough with the medical proceedings…how do you feel?"

Clarissa shifted upwards with a groan and looked at him for a moment. "Zachary…would you consider me off my rocker if I told you that I could have told the doctor all that information beforehand?"

"Considering the fact that I saw you keep a ship afloat with nothing but the power of your mind, I'd say no."

Clarissa grinned slightly and then sighed. "I also knew her blood pressure, white cell count and that she's got a sprained left wrist from a childhood injury. And I also know a shitload of stuff about you too."

Zachary's eyebrows rose slightly. "I think whatever system I activated onboard the ship has finally decided to rear it's head. In my mind I can see something similar to a HUD display on a starship or freighter. Been tinkering with it all morning, and I'm still finding out functions. Thermo Dynamic, EM spectrum…and then there's something involving quantum energy fields which is pretty, full of colors and such, but pretty much useless…"

Her voice trailed off as she gazed at him, and Zachary wondered what strange methods were being used to probe his body. Her hand snaked up from under the bedcovers and hovered next to his face. Zachary felt his hair lift unexpectedly and Clarissa smiled sheepishly. "Sorry…I think I just scanned your retina by accident." He shook his head in bemusement and had begun to rise when her hand gripped his arm.

"Zachary…please don't go…not …not just yet. I never felt very safe in hospitals and it doesn't help that this damn thing's threat detection range encompasses the entire building as well as the surrounding three blocks. And I'd really prefer not to be alone right now."

She grimaced slightly and then added. "Or rather…I'd prefer to be near someone who I trust to some extent. It was funny…when I was …_blazing…_ that's the only way I can describe it…all I could think of was you…I should have been thinking about the altimeter or the engines or just the fact that I was alive but…" Her voice trailed off as her fingers caressed his face, she seemed hypnotized by his simple presence.

"You kept me alive Zachary…"

"No…it couldn't have been me…you did all the work…I was just another voice." Zachary's voice was tight with emotion…he still knew what he had done, knew that eh should tell her, but his lips were betraying him, even now, in defiance of what the etherial Matrix had warned him. Instead he was reduced to spouting these…_platitudes. _And Clarissa seemed oblivious.

"_Yours was the voice that anchored me…I think I would have burned myself out if you hadn't told me to stop…venting." His skin prickled at her touch, and his mind brought up unbidden memories of Rose, she had looked at him with the same amazement, touched him in the same way… her eyes…they had glittered like dark jewels…_

_This was too much…too many memories at once. He had to stop it. Clarissa seemed to sense his sudden discomfort and averted her gaze, removing her hand as she did so. As her eyes flicked away Zachary caught a momentary flash of deep blue within the depths of her irises. It was watching him. He knew. _

_Again…the memories surged. And he found he didn't care. "I thought you'd bought the farm up there…" His hand reached out to turn her muzzle to face his. "Just…try to stay alive okay…?" It was extraordinarily lame…and not what he'd meant to say, thus he was surprised when he felt Clarissa's hand gently clasp his own. "For you…" she cleared her throat. "For you I will." Her voice was strong- she meant what she said with every fiber of her being. And long after they had left the hospital, he found himself wondering if he was worthy of such a promise_


	27. The Cost of Power

(A/N) Usually I don't give these little blurbs that much attention. They're usually a device in the story, nothing more. And then there are cases like these, in which the section, though it is short has such power and emotional depth that it cries out to be viewed as a singular entity. I have been envisioning this scene for months, and it was very tough for me to write..very emotional. You find as you write, that you become very involved with your characters and settings. And I hate seeing Zenia and Rose's tentive relationship rocked thus. Enjoy, and review please.

The Cost of Power

" _In retrospect I should have seen it as soon as Zenia walked in the door. The feral glow in her eyes. I was… so happy to see her that my instincts as a mercenary and as a predator were suppressed. She even smelled wrong. She walked in, kissed me…it was exhilarating as always. And even now…even after all that has happened…I still cherish it._

_There is a saying- "Absolute Power corrupts absolutely" I believe now, conversely that the pursuit of absolute power corrupts more deeply and in an even more insidious manner. I fixed dinner…from scratch as always. I should remember what it was that I made, but for once my normally infallible memory fails me…the event has affected me thus. _

_Regardless…it was well prepared, and we ate in the ship's galley. We talked; of what I do not know-again my mind fails me. The conference was discussed for a while. And then an odd silence fell over the table. She then asked about the mission…how it had gone. She wanted to know the results._

_My throat went dry, I could not speak. Stuck dumb, one might say. It was then that I noticed it, the change. I began, haltingly to explain to her what had transpired. The search…the dream. The blue fire, which I glimpsed as I was heading for my cloaked craft. _

_I had always assumed that Zenia chose me because of my intelligence…the fact that I acted with my instincts as well. I was wrong-or at least wrong in that instance. She became angry, angry to an extent which I had not thought possible. And at me…the love of her life. She had told me a thousand times that she loved me more than anything in the world. _

_And I believed her…_

_She began to rant and rave, saying that I had failed her…that I was worth less than any of the Coalition's henchmen. I had frozen…like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming hauler. _

_Hatred. She hated me. This fact halted me so completely that I almost didn't realize it when she had crossed the room in a few strides, her right hand raised to strike. I broke then, weeping, Hitting the floor I curled into a semi fetal position. It may be wondered why I did not attempt to run or defend myself…when you're scared for yourself, and afraid to an even greater degree for the person whom you love…you freeze. I awaited the blow. None came. _

_I looked up to see the feline hunched over the edge of the table, her jaw slack, staring at her right hand. "Rose…my…oh god…what have I done?" I rose from the floor. I looked at her…the tortured being which I loved, a symbol of strength and power. I had never thought of her as an evil person. I am not naive. I know what she does for a living. That she has killed and tortured many. It simply never entered my consciousness that she would do such a thing._

"_Something has changed in you Zenia. You're…tainted…unclean." She shifted upward and stepped toward me, I could see the pain in her eyes. "Please Rose…I'm so sorry…I don't know what made that…rage come out…I" She paused for a gulp of air. "The stresses…and Valmont…he…touched me…" _

_I felt my jaw go slack, and my stomach grow sick at the vision of that rat's hands gliding over her fur. I wanted him dead. In that moment I wanted to forgive her…to say that no, it was me, to tell her that I'd flay that rat alive the next time he laid a hand on her. I wanted to take her into my arms._

_Instead I stepped away. Whatever part that Valmont's actions played in her current state, they did not excuse the fury in her eyes…the vicious intent in her upraised palm. "This goal…it's changed you. And I don't like what I'm seeing. You've always heeded my advice before…now you treat me like an underling instead of a lover? That's not normal."_

"_Rose…please…don't…no, I…" She was on the verge of tears now, her fists clenching and unclenching convulsively…her need to touch the one she loved was as strong in this moment as mine…but it could not be. My voice quivered as I spoke. "I'm going to go and continue the mission- using my methods. You will wait for a report from me before taking one more action other than the ones we discussed beforehand."_

_She was silent now. Staring at me with wide eyes. "I have to do this Zenia. Whatever this pursuit of power required of you…it's stripping you of those qualities that made you desirable, that made you who you are. I'll do anything to keep you pure. Anything." The way I said it sends a shiver down my spine even now.. I almost feel as if my days are numbered…although I doubt that anyone would be able to kill me…for I am a new breed of prey. A very deadly breed. Perhaps this merely made me realize my own mortality. And the fact that no one is perfect. _

_Rose's Personal Log-Entry No D-3823 _


	28. The Voice From the Abyss

"When in a stressful situation the minds of most patients have two choices

Page 7 of 7 Tenth Circle:

Created By: Alexander Cole

"_When in a stressful situation the minds of most patients have two choices. They may be steered into a complete cognitive failure due to stress.. Or it can choose to selectively shield against the stimuli that harmed the patient. Rape and abuse victims often exhibit this type of system. It is simplistic, elegant, and often saves the mind of the affected. The more interesting problems arise when they are removed from the abuse and the system is still active. _

_The smallest thing could be a trigger, a touch, a sound…a kiss. They may begin to hallucinate, hear voices, smell things associated with the trauma. And thus the true dilemma surfaces- how does one escape the prison within their own mind? _

_Belle &Vorscht- Psych Txt A-12_

_Section 3, Introduction to Chapter 13_

Lou's eyes closed in exasperation as the leopard tossed a sheaf of papers onto the coffee table in disgust. Across from him Zachary shot him an absentminded look before refocusing his gaze on the window, remarking dryly.

"What's you're problem…I thought you liked money."

The cat rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Don't get me wrong…I love money…I just hate looking at balance sheets which show figures so bad that they might as well just send a photo of the titanic sinking to save paper."

The German Shepherd was silent, seemingly lost in thought as he stared out the ornately framed glass window at the sunrise which was just beginning to peek over the water- the view from this side of the resort was heavenly, though the vista seemed unable to banish the vixen from his thoughts.

"_Are you even listening to me?!"_ The leopard's voice had dropped into a somewhat dangerous register. For some reason he was much touchier about finance than the Zachary and Shiva were- they had learned that things changed constantly in regard to money. And worrying didn't help.

"Listening…ignoring…whatever you want to call it. We're fine. I've got emergency accounts with triple the amount we spent on the hospital bills…and we don't even have to worry about accommodations this time."

Lou leaned back in his chair. "I have to admit, landing a government contract with free accommodations in the best resort on Pydoria…hell you've outdone yourself. You're more of a people person than I thought you were. Who'd you promise to blow to get the deal anyway?"

"Your mom." Zachary growled in annoyance, ignoring the resentful punch, which collided, with his shoulder. Lou then rose to his feet and began to pace, Zachary's head tracking back and forth in a half bemused, half tired manner as he watched the leopard taking quick decisive strides on the wood paneled floor. He continued speaking:

"And lets not forget about the repair costs…our ships…and what in the hell is with you…. agreeing to pay for the damages to the Jenny like that. What, did that vixen offer you some tail if you-" He stopped, seeing the venomous look that the dog shot his way?

_Note to self…learn when and what not to joke about…he's more explosive than a landmine._

Reaching into a pocket the cat pulled a data pad and studied it. "What's this mechanical work you've got scheduled for the Malarkey….' He paused for a moment as he read Zachary's proposal. "_A full retrofit? 30 percent armor replacement!? Zachary we DON"T need this."_

The merc's voice was firm and authoritative as he spoke, Lou might be a friend, but _he_ was the one in ultimate control of the team's finances.

"_Yes_ we **do** need this…seeing that AI's stint above that moon made me realize just how outdated the old girl is. Remember those missions where we were stuck staring down the gun-barrels of a ship smaller than us, praying that they didn't find our weak spots? Remember how much fun that was?"

"_Hell…" _The leopard grinned ruefully as he thought for a moment. "I'll be damned…you're right. Go ahead full steam. I'll assume that this muskrat you mentioned will be involved?"

Zachary nodded. "And that means a discount. Fifteen to twenty percent if we're lucky." Lou rose from his chair and cracked his knuckles. "Well it seems you do have some financial sense." He then started walking toward the door.

"Where are you off to?"

"Gonna check in on Shiva and then explore the place a bit-" his voice stopped as he heard the door to the suite open. The feline's hand dropped to feel for a weapon that was nonexistent -they had checked them in at the front desk.

"Whoever it is, I'd advise you to come out with your hands up…we're armed." Best to bluff the enemy when he couldn't see you. There was a short pause.

"You know…locked doors don't seem to foil me anymore. Even if the do use retinal scanners." Zachary sighed in relief. It was Clarissa. The vixen stepped round the corner, wearing her somewhat dingy looking armored flight suit and a rather annoyed expression. "I apologize if I am intruding…but I wished to speak to Zachary." She shot a pointed glance at the mercenary, then at the door. "I'll leave you two to it, while I explore this grand place." As he brushed past her his hand clapped down onto her shoulder. "Good to see you kid…"

Clarissa's breath hissed from betwixt her teeth as she prepared herself to speak. "I promised myself that I wouldn't berate you after all that you did to ensure my safety-" Zachary's raised hand cut off her words.

"Let me guess… you're pissed off because you're restricted to your flight suit and armor- entire wardrobe's on your ship right? You're ticked because you haven't bathed since you got here, because your coat is three shaded darker than it should be. And you think I'm a blockhead because I haven't had all of your stuff transported from the Jenny over to temporary storage" He leaned back in his chair, his stare hard, accusatory.

"How did you…how did you know?"

"_Because that's how everyone else is feeling" _His voice was hard with anger, and Clarissa found herself taken aback, the words of rebuke stolen from her throat by the power of his words. He continued. "We're all dealing with the same problems. Newsflash Clarissa, it's not about you, the world does not revolve around you- and neither do my attentions." His finger tapped his watch for emphasis,

"I spent half the night going over balance sheets with that anal retentive leopard because he doesn't feel safe without knowing where every dollar goes. Then I spent an hour arranging for transport for all of our things to private storage. The rest of it I spent awake, and the last thing I need right now is another monkey riding my ass." He fell silent, his eyes locked with hers, daring her to rebuke him.

The vixen found that she could say nothing, he was right. She had been selfish towards him, towards the entire team from the very beginning. She had foisted her needs, her problems upon them all and heaped nothing but scorn upon his shoulders. She deserved this…these words. She found herself struggling for speech.

"I…I don't even deserve your help" she managed to blurt out, her voice small, almost childlike, the strident tones of regret evident in every syllable. She couldn't even bring herself to look at him… such was the shame that coursed through her at that moment.

Clarissa turned around slowly her shoulders a dejected slump, her tail drooping slightly and began to walk toward the door, only to be stopped as a hand caught her own.

"What…what are you…?" her voice caught as she found his eyes twinkling back at her, the old energy flaring back to life for a moment. "Look at you." He said, his voice now a cross between incredulity and admiration. Clarissa dimly wondered what he could possibly have found to admire in her, and attempted to avoid his gaze-before a gentle hand on her chin guided her gaze back to his face.

Zachary found himself marveling once again, at the sheer beauty encapsulated in the vixen's face, let alone her body. The eyes, a light, almost ethereal green, the proud features of the face, giving her an almost regal bearing…. Finally he spoke.

"You may not know it…but you have changed. A week ago you would have threatened to bite my head off or cursed me to the sun and back…but now you immediately apologized. You're opening up…and that, in my view excuses five seconds of bitchy behavior."

Clarissa said nothing, simply stared at him in amazement, stunned that he could see her growth that clearly when it had seemed for all the world that she was foundering in the mother of all riptides.

"So you see me as different?" Her voice was a soft, almost feathery whisper, her mind hinged on his next words, the Matrix's HUD dissolving in the force of his gaze. She felt an odd tightening sensation in her hips, the ears cocking backwards into the classic submissive position. His arm gently curved round her lower back, drawing her closer, her tail twitching at his touch.

"Yes."

Clarissa felt him lean forward till his eyes consumed her vision, and then their lips met. This kiss was different, more intense than the last, and she felt a surge of energy shudder through her as his lips briefly left hers and latched onto the underside of her jaw. She found herself pleasantly surprised at the initial thrill…the fact that he had initiated the kiss…no her. It meant that perhaps whatever feelings she had expressed in their first kiss were mutual. _It meant…_ All further thoughts were dissolved as the world around her; the very room in which they dwelt seemed to recede as she sank into his embrace.

_Zachary…I… _

She breathed his name, and heard a low growl emanate from his throat- causing a slight grin to tug upwards at the edges of her mouth. Just when she felt her own primal beasts on the verge of vocalizing her need for his touch…. for more of him…. a new, rather disconcerting smell rent the air.

At first she had hardly noticed it as it had been present from the moment he'd taken her into his arms was, now it suddenly ballooned to choke her nostrils a damp dank stench, the smell of cold metal or stone, crowding out the warm scent of the room and of Zachary. It quickly became worse, almost cloying, and Clarissa flinched in disgust. A cry rent the air, a scream from somewhere in the complex, possibly from the next cell.

_Cell…?_

Clarissa removed her hand from Zachary's back, feeling the body change even as she did so…the fur was different. Her hand met chilled air. Then metal bars. A cage. _She was in a cage._ Clarissa froze, as the sights and smells of the District surged around her, bringing with it terror. The fear leeched her of all her strength, all her training- what could a Matrix do against an intrusion of this magnitude?

Zachary was in the midst of preparing to kiss the soft fur of her quivering throat when he felt her stiffen in his embrace. He pulled back and suddenly the vixen pushed violently away from him ejecting herself from his arms, eyes squeezed tightly shut, her fists clenched. _"Clarissa…what is it?" _

Clarissa shook her body, then her head violently, attempting literally to shake the vision, not noticing as her balance shifted and she fell backwards- her mind a captive audience to the words now echoing from within the dark recesses of her soul:

" _If you let him touch you…he'll hurt you. Just like they hurt, like they killed Julie and Tyeen and all the others. Maybe you'll bleed out just like they did eh? I though not. Best to stay alone…stay safe…" _The voice was hers but colder, darker…it had kept her alive…it had gotten her out. She should listen to it…she knew.

Clarissa's eyes opened to see Zachary stepping forward instinctively, but halting his advance when he saw a faint but dangerous blue glow at the back of her eyes.

The venomous echoes of her mind from that _before_ time finally faded and Clarissa found herself semi-prone upon the floor of the room, Zachary standing over her, poised to act.

"Are you…are you alright?" his hand reached out tentatively to grasp her shoulder. She could see the fear in his eyes, the worry that something was wrong with her, or worse, and more prevalent, that it was something that _he _had caused. Reality flickered threateningly and she found herself angry.

"_Don't touch me!"_ She snarled, rising shakily backing toward the door as she did so.

"Was it something I did…what…" his voice fell silent as her hand rose.

Clarissa stood in the open doorway her eyes refusing to meet his. Her voice was somewhat softer as she said in an almost dejected manner "Kisses like those bring back memories. And I need them to stay buried." And with that Clarissa left the dog to ponder her statement and the odd, far off look of terror he'd glimpsed in her eyes as she'd pushed away.

His mind still dwelt upon it hours later and the question remained: _What had she seen?_

7


	29. Zachary's Note

Clarissa left her room some thirty minutes before the group was slated to move out

Page 8 of 8 Tenth Circle:

Created By: Alexander Cole

Clarissa left her room some thirty minutes before the group was slated to move out. Even now a half hour after the event she could still taste the smell of the District's holding pens in the back of her throat. The shower, the vigorous, almost frantic scrubbing, the tears, the anger which surged within as the clouds of steam boiled around her. All had been futile, the memories remained, the smells clogged her nostrils…and the voice whispered dark nothings into her ear.

Clarissa tugged at the cuffs of her flightsuit in irritation and watched as the outline of the Omnicuff normally affixed to her left arm appeared in the Matrix's view. She hated having to slip back into her dingy flight suit, but Zachary's promised trip to the Tanzini Shipyards would remedy that. Even she wanted to shift into a less militant style of dress. The vixen had only gotten a few steps from the door when a flash of white in her peripheral vision caused her to stop.

Turning slowly she swept her gaze up and down the door's darkly stained wood composite- and found a small slip of paper taped to the door, it's outline appearing in wire frame in her HUD. Clarissa sighed in exasperation, it was probably some note from the front desk about room service payment- and of all the tacky ways to notify her- the fox's eyes widened as she saw Zachary's cramped almost untidy scrawl across the page.

"_I don't blame you for your actions…after all you're carrying the world on your back. If you can't open up to me, talk to Shiva, I __**think**__ I don't judge and I __**know**__ she doesnet. Just…talk to someone. Because I don't want you to break." –Zachary_

Clarissa felt a wave of emotion sweep over her as once again Zachary's perceptive abilities shone though his somewhat rough exterior. Her nimble fingers folded the paper into a neat square before depositing it into her pocket.

As Clarissa began walking toward the turbo lift located at the end of the hall she wondered how he seemed so able to understand her odd behavior. She wasn't predictable, not in the slightest. Her job didn't allow it, routine was a misnomer for her, there was always a new route, a new direction- routines could be traced and exploited.

Slipping her hands into her pockets she casually thought that if she didn't know better she'd swear that he was…falling in love with her. The lift's doors closed with a hiss and she leaned heavily against the rear wall, watching as the Matrix ticked off the levels-while simultaneously loading a partial real time map of the building based on what little she'd already explored and ticker taped the local weather readout at the bottom of the 'screen'.

_What do I do…how am I supposed to feel? I…I could embrace it. But…what if he turns out to be…like them…the others?" _ The faces of innumerable foxes, wolves, anthros of all species flashed through her mind before she purged her view- that of the districts.

_No…he can't be…my heart is guiding me…for the first time. So…_

Her thoughts were interrupted as the lift's doors opened and the resort's expansive and light filled lobby filled her view. Ferns and plants littered the sides of the walkway, the air in this section fresher due to the concentration of greenery. Light from the sun, now a few inches higher in the sky streamed in through the windows illuminating the seating areas and vacant waiting lines-this not being a high traffic season for the resort.

Clarissa saw Zachary seated on one of the benches half watching the news, his flight jacket held loosely over his shoulders, his posture relaxed. _ Too _ relaxed she realized, as the Matrix's biometrics isolated his elevated heart rate and adrenaline levels. He was just as nervous as she was.

Her heart rate increased as she stepped toward him, she felt a slow flush creeping across her face, the thoughts of the past forgotten. She found herself foundering for words even…it was like she was a schoolgirl with a crush…and that was how she felt at the moment.

"Zachary…"

He jumped and suddenly pulled the coat closer around his shoulders. _Is he afraid of me…does he think I'm- _ Clarissa clamped down on those thoughts immediately, she couldn't let her mind run away with her.

"I…I got your note…the one you left on the door." _Stupid, what other note would he have left, one in the bidet?! _

Zachary's voice was quiet. "Then…then you understand what I meant when-" she pressed a finger to his lips, not caring that they were in full view of the reception desk, she needed to do this. "Yes…I do. And it's you…only you. Shiva will know…but you first."

"**When?"**

"In time…soon." She removed her finger from his lips and traced them along his jawline, linking her free hand with his. "And what's this?" he breathed.

"Finishing what you started."

"But I thought-" He hesitated and that was when her body surged foreword, pressing against his.

"Mercs don't think…they _act_." Zachary felt a thrill rush through him as her muzzle clashed with his, her hands wrapping around the back of his head, pulling him closer. She felt the characteristic bulge in his nether regions and a grin tugged at the edges of her mouth…and the flames of desire leapt ever higher.

In the back of her mind she felt something clawing, trying to find it's voice, the same presence that had held her back before…she ignored it, molding herself with him, locking her eyes with his- this moment was hers; she would not let it be consumed by the past.

Finally she pulled back, her jaws slightly parted. It was done…this first step.

"Overcoming your demons?" Zachary's tone was one of quiet amusement, as if he'd expected the entire thing. "By degrees Zachary…"

But as she leaned back into his embrace, awaiting the entrance of the other two mercenaries she wondered if this spark of joy was merely the calm before the storm. And considering her luck she might end up facing a tornado by the end of the month.

8


	30. Simply Buisness

**I'm quite sure that 90% of you all will want to shoot me right now. I wrote two chapters and submitted them. I promised you all more. And then now, i delete them and present you with THIS?? Up front, I apologize, and have since realized that I was suffering not from writer's block but from a common problem: Taking a perfectly sensible idea and complicating it because I thought it needed someting else cool. Result, what you see now. THIS section below you is what quite probably should have been written from the beginning.**

**Also I have to give major Major thanks to Fuerrstoss for helping me through each of the 22 days in which i threw idea after idea at his logical mind, and watched them get shredded. Read his story, Zero Point...he'd love some reviews I'm quite sure. ANyway TTFN and there should be another chapter coming up shortly after this one. **

**Simply Business**

"Alright… here we are, the Genero Diner, circa 2234. One of the best breakfast places in this section of the city-even though she's a bit of a hole in the wall, eh?" The old hound gave the group a roguish wink before engaging the door release. Spilling into the sunlit morning air the group began walking across the parking lot to the front entrance. Behind her, Zachary's voice rang out- "You lot, go on ahead, hold down the fort…we'll be along in a moment."

Shiva turned back to look at them, then nodded slightly before following the leopard inside. Clarissa stood, still facing the entrance, watching them depart. After a slight pause, she spoke. "How did you know?"

"Pilot's intuition." The vixen rolled her eyes briefly before guiding him toward a nearby bench, it's red painted wood and wrought iron frame a stark contrast to the world around them. The pair sat down, relishing the soothing heat transmitted through the wood. Clarissa's hands drifted over the boards seemingly mesmerized by the texture, the feel of it. Zachary said nothing, content to wait.

Finally she folded her hands pensively in her lap and began " I'm…not the kind of person who takes well to parties…loud events. If I try to socialize…I freeze up. Usually I'll just watch the others around me…wondering why I can't be like them…why there's such a disconnect. And I mean, it's not just with a few people, society at large is foreign to me, what you see most of the time is a façade, because half the time I'm terrified I'll say something wrong. Hell, on the battlefield, in the cockpit I can interact with Shiva, with Lou… there you've got rules, and limits, things that can be said and that can't be voiced. You're…protected by your fear…your will to survive. And here on solid ground…in relative peace- I….can't."

Clarissa suddenly sucked in a breath of air- "I don't even know why I'm troubling you with this…it's trivial anyway." She attempted to rise, but felt his hand grasp her wrist. "No…it's _not_ trivial…" His voice trailed off but his mind finished the thought: _Nothing about you is…_

She simply stared at him, stunned. There it was again, that same shift in his voice, as if he was trying to convey something through his speech that couldn't be expressed in mere words…

His eyes squeezed shut for a second, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose in a moment of concentration. Finally he spoke. _"You…you don't have to be like them…you've got to be 'yourself'…be willing to express your emotions, your pleasures your joys as you see fit. " _He looked up at her, studying her for a moment.

"I know how it is, you want to fit in, to be accepted. You've been away from others for so long that you _need_ this interaction. But don't sell your soul to get it."

"Or rather, don't sell what's left of it."

From inside the diner if one had looked out the tinted window one could have watched the pair as they progressed toward the door, opened it and stepped in. The dining room was empty except for Lou and Shiva. Well, no- now thst she looked there was another patron, a young anole, vaguely similar to Barissto in facial features who stared pensively out the window next to the door, seemingly unaware of their entrance.

"Takes forever to get a cup of decent coffee in here…thought the cabbie mentioned this place would be packed, haven't seen a soul enter since we sat down." Lou scooted over to allow Zachary to sit down, Shiva did likewise.

"That is rather odd…but then again, the traffic patterns could vary- excuse me, _Waiter…" _His voice however appeared to fall upon deaf ears, because the greyhound sweeping the countertop with a washcloth seemed oblivious to his request. The German Shepherd had risen out of his seat in exasperation and placed his hand on the dog's shoulder, his back turned away from him. There was a light _thump_ as his hand collided with the fabric of the uniform-and suddenly came into contact with the gel padding of body armor.

_What the…?_

In one swift movement, the dog sent an open handed blow into Zachary's midsection sending him off-balance, then grabbed his outstretched hand, whipping it round his back in a restraining posture-and bringing a loaded D-9 Diablo to his throat.

"Yes…I guess it does take forever doesn't it…"

There was the flutter of fabric and the simultaneous clicking of firearms as a variety of short barreled and nasty looking plasmatic SMGs were pulled from beneath hastily swept off garments and trained on the sitting four. The last to rise was the lizard, who having placidly finished her coffee set her cup down on it's saucer with a _clink- _and drew a Kavorkien G-76 Obliterator from a boot holster.

"Clarissa…right?" The vixen said nothing, her gaze flitting first to her , then Zachary, her jaws slightly parted. The anole snapped her fingers and the diner's windows instantly polarized, the doors locking with an audible thunk. "Let's talk…"

"Now before I do this…I simply wanted to let you know that I have nothing personal against you. This is no vendetta, no crusade which has taken years to see to fruition…actually you killed him about three days ago…correct?"

Clarissa suddenly blinked. "Who-" but the lizard continued, seemingly unaware that she'd attempted speech. "Anyway…this is just a simple matter of business and-" Suddenly she halted and stared at her in surprise. "You don't know who you killed?"

A slight hand motion from the young reptile precluded the swift movement of one of the guards, who moved toward the front area-and closed in on Zachary.

"He was a male…same species as I…short, rather stupid. Met him at a Draxel Coalition summit meeting three months ago and found myself thoroughly disgusted…" The vixen's continued confused stare, prompted an annoyed hiss, and subsequent nod. As the first blows began to rain down onto Zachary's restrained frame Clarissa cried out, half in grief, half in anger, and sprung up from her seat, only to see one of the nearest henchmen snap his weapon's charging toggle in preparation to fire.

"Does _this_… refresh your memory?" She said, raising her hand silently as a punch to the kidneys elicited a bark of pain from Zachary who dropped to his knees. Weakly he raised his head and quipped, "I gotta admit…I don't have a fucking clue what you're babbling about…but you're not going to kill-" The butt of a SMG cracked across his face, snapping his head to the left and he fell silent. Clarissa's voice cracked as she finally snapped: "_YES GODDAMMIT…. I remember him- is that what you wanted to hear? I remember what he was…what he represented…the lives he ruined. I remember the weapon he carried, that he ratted me out to the Coalition-which you are no doubt connected to. He deserved worse than death for what he did to Arixa…and to all the others whom he supplied!"_

She was standing, fists clenched at her sides, teeth half bared, and Zachary could see the barest hint of blue flickering round the knuckles of her left hand-her dominant one. Her eyes were also showing the telltale signs… The lizard noticed none of this and seemed genuinely inquisitive as she queried: "I'm sorry… you say 'supplied'…he was a consumer…of resources…? Was he addicted to sex perhaps?"

"_He was addicted to a substance which robbed him of his wealth, then his family…and finally his life, which that double crossing bastard made me deprive him of. And I hate him for it."_ Zachary heard a light pop as a joint in the vixen's jaw snapped…she was barely in control of her temper as it was…a few more words before _it_ activated…and all hell broke loose.

The female's next words were surprisingly cold- a complete turn around from her previously businesslike tone. "Quite honestly…I can't see why you're angry-_he paid you didn't he?_ You killed that damned addict with your weapon, you could have left him to die in squalor, allowed nature to run it's course. You could have left the station, ignored it all and moved on, but no you decided to kill him, thereby putting him out of his misery to attempt to counterbalance the universal scales that damned you from the start, or out of some sick sense of pity…of 'connection' with him."

She seemed almost victorious now, her mouth curving once more into a sick sort of childish grin, as if this was a game. This faltered however as she regained her composure, and continued deliberately. " I care _nothing_ for his deeds- he could have raped your mother, sodomized your sister and stolen your inheritance. I do this to keep my position in the Vilanxes family hierarchy, allow them to remain united with the Coalition and perhaps even to gain rank, I was assigned this duty, to avenge his death. And to kill you. You have thus condemned yourself." Clarissa was silent at this sobering news. Then- "Kill him…first."

C_ No…god no… _"If you're wondering why _him_…they said it had to be painful…and I can think of no greater torment for you than to watch the obliteration of your friends. His will be the slowest…perhaps we'll blind him first….remove his tongue…brand him. You'd be amazed at how many wondrous instruments of torture can be found in the average residence…" She then reached into a pocket and pulled out a familiar device, about as large as clarissa's hand, contoured for grip- and with two sparking nodules at it's tip. "But with all this primal energy flowing round us…I'd prefer something simple…"

She tossed it to the guard who stood next to Zachary, a grin planted on his face....he knew what was coming. "One thousand three hundred joules. Not enough to kill him, just enough to produce five minutes of the most horrifying screaming you'll hear in your lifetime- before his brain roasts…"

Zachary willed himself to a brief moment of consciousness…and saw the points descending toward his neck. He knew what was coming, and planted his feet against the ground, perhaps it might diffuse the charge. If it did, he could tell no difference. The pain was excruciating…but he did not cry out, did not make a sound as his fur began to sizzle, his flesh began to sear at the portion of his neck where skin met supercharged metal. If he was to die here…in front of her, he'd make damn sure it was with dignity, if nothing else.

"_He does not speak…?"_ She was half laughing when Clarissa cried out in rage…a deep thrumming snarl which he'd not heard before from her-or anyone. A flicker of blue light passed over his eyelids…and he heard the sound of gunshots…then screams. The hollow _tink..tink tink _of fisticuffs meeting flesh with deadly force. Another crackle of energy and a snarl. And then…finally nothing, as his mind sank into unconsciousness.


	31. Tentative Alliance

**Man...well this is interesting. I always hated those writers who could stick thier nose up in the air and claim "well I have over 100 reviews'- and now i find myself in a position to become one! w00t!! Anyway simply wanted to provide another thank you to Fuerstoss for his beta reading of this chapter, and numerous others. He also was able to convince me that the..'shooter's choice of firearms was wrong in so many ways-suffice it to say that the KAR98 will not be making an appearance in this chapter. Oh and three bucks to the reviewer who can figure out who the groups saviour is. The ideas are flowing fast, and 'knock on wood I should have another chapter out soon.**

Tentative Alliance

"Come now…face your death…face your death, as he faced his." A final ironic challenge sprang from the reptilian lips, uttered as the group raised their guns in unison and prepared to fire. Clarissa's jaws were parted, the teeth bared. Her breath was ragged, and she was snarling in anger, angry because they _saw_ the glow in her eyes, perhaps felt the energy radiating from her and did not recognize the light as the basic equivilant of looking down a loaded howitzer with a hair trigger but thought it some parlor trick, some ploy to buy them time.

They would shoot her, attempt to mow her down; her body would crackle and sizzle and burn. Hair would burn and flesh would fuse and she would cry out in fury, knowing that the shots that pierced her would in doing so kill him as well. Still she crouched low, attempting to mask his profile with her stance. Mentally she began to pray.

It never came.

_Paff…Paff…Paff_!

The shots sounded in rapid succession, causing Shiva's ears to twitch- despite the sonic interference caused by the charged plasma pellets she could sense something near the door even as three of the dogs dropped where they stood-killed instantly by shots punching _through _the glass paned doors. Before the lizard could speak the rest of her forces were dead. "No…this cannot be...possible…" she breathed in consternation, Shiva saw the gun hand twitch convulsively such was the shock. The lizard's gaze was directed at the corpses of her consorts, obviously hired guns of some sort-though skilled, whoever had done this had taken her completely by surprise.

Suddenly her hand pressed down on the trigger, initiating the weapon's charge function, a glowing green bolt hovering at it's tip. She began to raise the weapon, pointing it at Clarissa's head. _"And now I sentence you…"_

"_Judge not lest ye be judged…Katryna…"_ A voice sounded faintly from outside the restaurant, as cold as stone and with a sort of joyless mirth contained within. Katryna's eyes widened in response.

"_YOU!" _The lizard was in the midst of spinning to face her unseen attacker, somehow she knew the voice, something about the shooter had triggered such a wave of indignant rage and betrayal that the bat's sensitive ears could hone in on the emotion charging every syllable-

_Paff!_

If one had looked as the body fell they might have been able to glimpse the red rimmed hole bisecting the reptile's skull, blood already beginning to pour from within as gravity took hold. The weapon clattered out of her hands and onto the floor, the charged shot receding back into the barrel as the pressure upon it's trigger abruptly eased. Shiva was running as the lizard fell, stepping over her body and scooping up the gun as she sprinted for the door. The street was empty, baking in the heat the red bench which Zachary and Clarissa had sat upon moments before was vacant. No hover cars soared overhead.

She was alone. The very spookiness of it set her fur on edge…that a city which only moments before had been vibrant and full of life now could seem…dead. It was if time itself had frozen-perhaps whatever force Clarissa had unleashed back at the IRIS facility was somehow at work here… She found herself so afraid in fact that she simply stood, mute half hoping that the shooter would reveal themselves, and half praying that they would not. The weapon seemed heavy in her hands, almost actively attempting to slip from her grip, and she was so busy trying to keep her mind stable, what with the shock of possibly seeing Zachary die, and of the firefight in general, that when the shooter became evident or rather visible, she almost didn't see it.

It began with a light shimmer not five feet away from her, and even as she raised the gun Shiva knew that it was a primarily futile gesture-if the person had wished to kill her she could have done it when she'd first exited the restaurant at a blind run. A vague form, first, the barest hint of fabric…cloth. And then with a light _zap_ the illusion disappeared completely, leaving in it's place a rabbit, female, clad in light green Artarcus Cameo armor over which she sported a dark red trench coat. A modded Heckler and Koch G3 was cradled lightly in her arms, left hand in the midst of dis-engaging the light blue ethereal discs which comprised the weapon's holographic sighting mechanism.

The bat simply stared in shock. She continued staring as the other two stepped through the Genero's entrance, Zachary's limp form held in the arms of the leopard who walked ahead of Clarrissa. Both carried weapons purloined from the thugs inside the restaurant, and the fox's was already being brought to bear on the newcomer, Lou's gun slung over his right shoulder. _"Who the hell is she?"_ the feline breathed heavily as he reached the pair.

"I…I don't…" The bat fell silent as her stern gaze fell upon her. "Do you wish for him to die?" she said, nodding toward the stricken canine in the leopard's arms. Clarissa's jaw tightened at the words but she shook her head. _No..No that's the last thing I'd want.._

She slung the rifle onto her back and began fiddling with a datapad clipped onto her belt, looking up briefly as she did so. "Then you will follow me."

"How can we trust you?" The leopard spoke the thoughts of the entire group, his golden eyes surprisingly defiant in the midst of their situation. Dimly Clarissa heard the sound of sirens wailing in the distance…they were coming.

The rabbit looked up from the screen, adjusting an antennae as she did so and smiled thinly: "How can anyone be trusted in these times? I offer you this one chance for survival…and _she _was the only reason I bothered saving any of you." Her coal black eyes snapped to fix Clarissa with their gaze, and the Vixen felt a slight shiver run down her spine due to the rabbit's intense stare. Finally she continued "Either come now, or fend for yourselves." She looked beyond the group to the faintly flashing lights in the distance- "And from what I can tell that's not much of an option."

Lou's voice was almost flippant as he spoke: "Well we'll fend for ourselves then." Shiva's face was suddenly doubtful as Lou continued. "Hell, for all I know you may have 'saved' us only to kill us at a later date…." Shiva spoke up at once. "I don't think she'd have gone to all this trouble to do that…it's just too implausible. And frankly we don't have much of an option…they're about 2.5 miles out based on the Doppler effect."

"Well look who's speaking miss naive…if you're so willing to trust a complete stranger then-"

"_Give him to me._" The words were spoken in an undertone that scraped the bare edge of a whisper, yet all heard it. A slight pause, and then she continued. "Every…second that you deliberate…is a second that he does not have. If going with her is the keystone to Zachary's survival then I'll take it. With or without your company."

"You care for him that much?"

"Yes."

Shiva stepped forward. "Then…I guess I'll come with you." The pair then looked pointedly back at Lou. "Damn…but if this turns out to be a bear trap we're walking into, someone's going to get their ass kicked."

"I assume you're referring to yourself?" Shiva said pointedly as he stepped foreword.

He merely grunted dismissively and, hefting the dog's weight, stepping forward to join the group as he did so.

The rabbit looked at her datapad and entered in a series of commands. "Five to transport." she spoke into the unit's pinhole mike. And the group disappeared.


	32. The Healing

The Healing

"…And I know that what I did might have been foolish but…" The vixen paused mid-sentence for breath, readjusting a bandage as she did so, Zachary wincing slightly despite the lightness of her fingers. He'd awkened about two hours after entering the medical bay of the unfamiliar vessel, and from the beginning had been under Clarissa's vigilant watch. Now he lay awake and partially clothed-this was to allow her better access to his wounds, and not merely to allow her a view of his southern 'spire' as he whimsically named the region.

She was speaking now, the words gushing out at an incredibly fast rate, somehow she felt a need to explain what she had done. "But I did it under the assumption that you would have done the same thing…taken the same risk if it had been either one of them. And perhaps me."

He said nothing when she had finished, merely watching her with a faint sense of wonderment, and attempting to prod his mind into action; the nerve dampners she'd given him had not only deadened the pain, but seemingly put a good thirty percent of his brain on lockdown. Clarissa took the silence as awknoledgement of her guilt.

The vixen rose, bracing her hands aginast the far wall, ignoring the screaming of her arms, viewing it as some sort of deserved punishment for her actions. _"Dear God…I'm an idiot. Should have called an ambulance…gone to the nearest emergency room…something…" _ Any of those decesions would have been deemed the right course of action, the _advisable _one for gods sake. Most of the mercs she'd met would have left him there to die in the restaurant instead of initate an attempt to save him; as far as they were concerned an injured member was a burden to their mobility and a drain on payment, one less account to split the funds with.

"Clarissa…stop kicking yourself ." Zacahry's voice was quiet, his speech slow but she could recognize it, hear the timber slowly beginning to return to his voice as his body metabolized and flushed the agent from his system.

In a low, slightly strained whisper she said._ "I…can't Zachary. Now that I look at it in some stupid way I wanted…to…to prove something to you. And now Lou and Shiva probably think I'm the most inept one on the team. They went along with it, only because they themselves weren't sure of how to proceed. And it wasn't my brain doing this or even the Matrix, it was my heart, my god-damned emotions that got in the way. By feeling these feelings I'm jeapordizing myself and the team….I…" _ Her voice trailed off as she saw him grit his teeth slightly and begin to swing his legs off the operating table. "Get back on…jesus…you'll pull something or bruise something that's not yet been bruised."

"I'm perfectly…fine…_ouch_." He finally stood and she immediately rushed over to support him. "What medical protocol dictates that medical aids be partially disrobed..cause I'm _completely_ for it." He raised an eyebrow and she saw a brief twinkle of mirth flare within their depths.

"There _is _ no such- provision…my flightsuit isn't exactly a clean gament, sso naturally I removed the top-stop trying to change the subject-" She suddenly froze as his grip tightened. His voice was surprisingly even, almost conversartional as he then said.

"Now what is it you wanted to say?"

Breathing in deeply she began: "I'm a security risk Zachary…if I keep doing this…feeling this way I'll endanger your lives. And that's why I'd like to leave your group as soon as the Jenny's repairs are complete."

His response was immediate: "No. I'm not letting you run away from this."

"_Goddamnit Zachary I have to do this or I might…" _She was struggling for words. Clarissa turned away from him and murmered. "This is why I crushed those feelings down to begin with-"

"_No." _

His hands had shifted upward to gently encase the sides of her face, orienting her gaze to face his, her eyes opening reflexively from the shock. He'd said the word with such force, it had almost been a command, and yet she knew that in some way he'd said it both to himself and her as well. She waited for him to speak.

"_Now listen to me. In these few days you've felt things you've never thought you'd feel again. And to be honest so have I. Considering some of the things I've done…and the people I've hurt… I neve thought I could feel this sort of-"_

"_Need."_ She breathed gently into the crook of his neck, feeling the hairs along the back of it rise with her utterance.

He paused to steady himself from the shock created by her speech, which somehow bordered on the faintly sensual._ "Yes. And it's scaring the shit out of you. All I can say is this. In the past three days I've seen you happier than I've thought possible. You're…opening up. To me. To the world. And to yourself. And by leaving now you'd be throwing it all away. This…healing…this fear that you're feeling. It's a test. Just like she told you…and it's one that you might fail if you don't face it and conquor it."_

He felt her shudder slightly in his arms. "I don't want to go back to the way I was before. It…hurt." For a second she radiated an aura of such stunning voulenrability that he found himself acting almost on instinct. His free hand lifted her drooping chin toward his, seeing her shimmering eyes flickering back at him despite the dimmed lights.

"_Does this?" _ And again the warmpth surged through them as their lips clashed, her eyes fluttering closed as she allowed herself to partially surrender control to him, feeling his arms encasing her, entrapping her body…and in some sense her soul. Her hands slid underneath the thin shirt he wore underneath his flightsuit and jacket, previously removed to allow for medical access, gliding over his fur, feeling the gentle swells and dips where muscles formed valleys and hills, which she found herself memorizing like a surveyer might memorize a topographical map.

His heartbeat could be felt under the tips of her fingers, and she sought it now, glorying in the fact that he was alive, which this simple sign could prove more fervernetly than the ships medical scanners, or even the alien methods used by the matrix which streamed information into her mind even now. The injuries manifested themselves as a sort of twinge in her hands which registered itself as she swept over them with her fingers. He would take time to heal…she knew this…perhaps weeks. But she needed him now, needed to see him whole, alive…she needed to heal him. The energy within built up in a sudden wave as her left hand glided over the contact points, burn marks created by the high powered tazer as it burned through his flesh.

She could feel it fluttering like a bird within her, waiting to be released, and almost held herself back- what if it didn't work, what if it made him worse…the device had been used time and time for destruction, perhaps that was it's _only _purpose…

What if using it now…even with the best of intentions…would _kill_ him?

These traitorous thoughts were banished from her conciousness as his hand pressed her hand harder against his heart, burning the sensation of each and every contraction into her palm. _I…I love you. _ She thought. And faintly, some part of him answered back.

It manifested as a pulse, a pair of pinpricks, brilliant blue, exploding first from the hand near his heart, and then near his neck, surging inward, swirling round injuries, and bruises, blazing a path of rejuvination as it went. She felt all of this, _perceived _his healing, and the feeling of joy was so profound and earth shattering that she found tears springing to her eyes, flowing down her cheeks. _I'm crying due to happieness?_

And then she thought of what she'd done only seconds ago. How she'd healed an anthro who should have been in the hospital for weeks due to his injuries in mere seconds. How she'd blasted her way out of what would probably be branded in her mind forever as zombie hell-the IRIS facility. At these memories the vixen smiled-_nothing_ was impossible.


	33. Victoria's Secret

Page 6 of 6 Tenth Circle:

Created By: Alexander Cole

Victoria's Secret

"…_.I bade them sit, but they were sore afraid…they did not trust me. First I plied them with gifts of gold and silver…they denied my offering. Simple people, good people such as these could not be plied with mere trinkets, no matter the luster or supposed worth. I spoke with them, told them many things, stories of dragons and fire and far off lands. But these meant little to them…for time passes slowly in these lands._

_It was then that I saw the child amongst them. Small and frail, with glowing eyes. And I knew what to do. "Break bread with me…partake of my food, quaff your thirst with my spirits." And they did so._

_The Moral- To gain the trust of anyone, even a stranger…simply eat with him. And all fears will be assuaged."_

_A Few Wise Men- From: Tales of the Ancestors_

"So…that parable is why you did this? You want to gain my trust?" Clarissa paused in mid motion, a small chunk of seared lamb not inches from her lips, as she had been captivated during the rabbit's recital of the old tale, seemingly from memory.

"The wisdom of the aincients is still valuable even in these times. And has it not worked? When you entered this room you were ill at ease. And now you seem…more relaxed if nothing else." Her smile was gentle as she sipped delicately at her wine, her breath fogging the lead crystal of the glass.

"I may be more relaxed…but I would diagnose that as being due to the wine offered me. I was...hungry of course, and given that you fed them all in the same manner shows your genorousity…but trust is not so easy to obtain from any of us. Especially me." A silence fell briefly.

"Ah, the old _wolf in sheeps clothing_ adage. You fear that by doing this I wish to lull you into a sense of complacency and then do you some ill later on?" Clarissa did not trust herself to speak, the rabbit was exactly right of course, and she'd seen somehow form the beginning that the strange mercenary- _if _ that was what she was, was the kind of individual who could perceive much from the world around them…and was thus even more dangerous.

Finally Clarissa said, "Well, if you value _trust_ to such an extent…perhaps I might trouble you with your name?"

"You may call me Victoria if you wish." Clarissa sat, silent for a moment, filing this information away. Finally she began.

"I first wish to thank you on behalf of our group for your…intervention and subsequent rescue of our party. We…owe a debt to you, our lives. And if none of them have conveyed this to you, then let me be the first to do so. "

Victoria nodded simply in awknoledgement, raising her glass into the air as she did so.

"However, in spite of the basmati rice, the garden salad and the…_exquisite…_ lamb…I still have some questions for you. Questions that no amount wine and strawberry torte will be unable to assuage."

"I understand. You want to know who Katryna is…what her connection is with the Coalition, and how they found you. You want to know who I am, how I managed to appear at this place, in this time frame, at just the right moment to avert a disaster…correct?" Her face had become passive, almost stony and the twinkle at the back of her eyes reminded Clarissa dimly of a roughly cut gem, harsh and abraisive upon the skin before finishing. The rabbit continued, lacing her hands together upon the table's smooth surface.

"And most of all…you want to know why I said that I came to save _you_ in the first place, why _you_ are again singled out. And if I am a threat."

"_Yes…yes you're correct. Every word." _ The vixen breathed.

"Then let us begin." The rabbit refilled her glass, took a heartier sip of wine than previous…and began.

"Katryna was…an _unfortunate_ to put it bluntly. She never chose the path she took, it being forced upon her by parantage…and by fate." A genuinely sad expression crossed over the rabbit's face as Clarissa leaned foreward, already engrossed in the tale.

"In a strange sense…she was a victim. As are all who are involved with the Coalition. Me. You. And the myriad others on the many planets and galaxies within this universe. And if you have studied the Coalition as long as I have…you learn that it strips men of their pride…families of their livelihood. And turns harmony…into chaos. The Vilanxes family is one of many of the old world crime syndicates- it came to fruition in this system, controlled the planet upon which it was built, and although it had it's periods of conquest…was not truly one for rapid expansion.

They protected their own, treasured those who kept the old ways-and punished severely those who dared cross them. And like the others, they thought themselves invincible." Here she drank once again, her free hand scratching at the base of an ear.

"But they were not. They lived in a bubble, content with what they owned and oversaw; And ultimately unknowning of the change wreaked by the D-gate's creation…until it was too late."

"Are you trying to get me to pity them? I cannot…I've seen what they do…all crime families are the same, no matter the size, or the location."

"I ask you not to pity _them_…but consider the phlight of _her. _And perhaps they all are the same, no matter what they trade, or under whom they operate. But if they had anything they had a shred of honor. And the Coalition has none. It began origionally on earth, in America…the exact city is a matter of conjecture. All that is needed is knowledge of how they operate.

To each of the major cartels they would send a representitive, well dressed, respectable man or anthro-with a proposition. The family in question would loan three percent of it's earnings to the Draxel Coalition. It would ally itself with them and act as a subsidiary- a free-roaming branch if you will. Once accepted they would gain access to power and wealth beyond their wildest dreams…and all simply by signing a datapad… They could even keep their origional name."

"But that wasn't really what happened was it?"

Victoria smiled, a sad little smile and nodded. "No…it was not. What really was meant when those papers were proffered…was far more insidious then a simple alliance. Interwoven throughout the passage were provisions that allowed the coalition to drain up to eighty percent of the family's earnings if 'required'. It bound a large percentage of their vehicles and operatives to obey the Coalition's orders instead of the famiy to which they had sworn allegiance, and secured trade routes…in short it enslaved them absolutely. There was no 'Don'…the _true_ acting head of _all_ was the chairman of the Coalition.

They found themselves at the beck and call of their new masters, half dreading the communiqués, and yet knowing that by acting as requested that they would survive after a fashion. They became lapdogs, quick muscle used to kill off a dignitary or re-secure a trade route-and the system became even more corrupt than it was at the outset."

Clarissa felt her fur standing on the back of her hands…she had never thought that crime families could victimize each other in such a fashion. "Did any of them figure it out…did they fight back?"

"Some did…and then the Coalition would call in teams of mercs. Family members might die or dissapear. Assets might be frozen by the government. And it would continue until the family submitted-or was crushed under the weight of it's resistance. But those that di resist were few, and their spectacular deaths served a purpose, to strike terror into the hearts of all others who made an indecent living. They signed in droves…and the galaxy became what it is today. A civilization in the grip of an invisible hand."

"And the lizard…what part did she play?"

"In the old days families would attempt to shelter the members of the younger generations from the knowledge of their true heritage. If a threat was made against the family, someone already tainted would be assigned to handle the task, wemon and children were left untouched. Now that aincinet rule is shattered. Perhaps at one time she could have lived a normal life. But…the coalition called her number, assigned her the task. She was…unwilling. But…the lust for power for advancement, erodes resistance to most things _very_ quickly I have found. And thus…you have the events which transpired. Barristo was a member of the Vilanxes family and even though didstantly related, as a member of the coalition…his death had to be avenged."

"And I was slated for exicution."

The rabbit nodded once again and sighed heavily, as if telling this shred of history had required some sort of physical effort. There was silence for a few moments as Clarissa digested the information. "This still does not answer another question. You said…that you did all this…to save _me_. Why? I'm just another mercenary as far as you're concerned. I'm…not worth that."

"All of us have immesurable self worth, wether we realize it or not. We are worth something to others, if not to ourselves. And why you? Because you're the best…and because I need you to help me change history."

"A contract…that's what all this rigamarole is about? Honestly I'm a bit disappointed."

Victoria's next words caused the smile to drop from her lips however. "It is a mission yes…but once you know it's purpose…and how it relates to both of us…I think your attitude will change." Clarissa gestured for her to continue, refilling her glass as she did so.

"To be honest…other than a few surveillance photos…this is my first time meeting you face to face. Yet…I have known of your exploits for a long, long time. I have watched you closely… admired you. Aspired to be like you. And I have hoped…to meet you. Because if you come from where I belive you do…we share a common bond."

"What do you-"

"_You are the hell borne, risen from the bowls of that foul planet…that place where there is no sun. Feline, reptilian, human, avian. Thousands of species from a myriad selection of worlds all beneath it's surface. The taint of fear is in the air, you can feel the shackles biting into your legs…your wrists…"_ Here she pulled up the cuffs of her sleeves to reveal her wrists. Faint scars could be seen beneath the fur, light pink and threadlike, yet still visible.

Clarissa's eyes were wide now, she shuddered as a cold shock ran though her…she was staring at Victoria's face and could see in her eyes, the same pain, the same fear, all the feelings and hatred that she had bottled within. It reflected back at her and almost made her cringe with the force of it.

"They took me after a party when I was of legal age. Someone drugged me…I don't know whom. They put me on a transport…" Here her voice dropped and she closed her eyes tightly as if trying to stop herself from seeing the memories as they flashed before her mind's eye. Clarissa felt her heart open up with a pure and agonizing pain as she watched the rabbit's mask beginning to slip to reveal the fragile being within.

"_When you escaped…it gave us hope. I didn't know who you were…maybe I heard it from a guard or one of the girls in passing…but the thought of it gave me a reason to live. It consumed me…the notion of freedom. And eventually I did get out…a half year behind you."_

"I…I checked so many times, but I could never find anything. Dear god I wanted not to be the only hope those girls had. I prayed that it wasn't the case every night since I left…and now…." She couldn't stop the tears coursing down her cheeks as she looked at the rabbit who was obviously struggling with her emotions, and before she knew it she was out of her seat and engaging Victoria in a full armed hug, finally allowing her own sobs to force their way from her throat.

"_You can help me…help me stop them. I don't want there to be any more like me." _Clarissa released her and looked firmly into her face. "What do you need me to do? Whatever it is, no matter the cost…if it means stopping this monster…"

The pair released each other and Victoria said, "I have informants within the Coalition who have given me a list of targets. Three major, seven minor. Take these out along with two other paramount objectives and the Coalition will crumble. And with the coalition gone we can begin the work of deconstructing the District for good." The rabbit reached into a pocket and withdrew a microdisc, pressing it into Clarissa's palm.

"This disc is to be opened only on your ship, there is too much of a risk of discovery if it's opened on a source which is not safeguarded. Within it are maps, coordinates and instructions on how each objective can be completed."

"I'm…I'm glad I met you."

"As am I."

Clarissa embraced her once again, in an almost desperate fashion as she spoke, her voice strained. _"There's so much I want to tell you…so much I want to ask-"_

"We will meet again…I promise you that. The ship is presently hovering over the Tanzini Shipyards, I do belive that is where you were headed origionally, correct?" Clarissa nodded.

"I have…places to go…things to set in motion…." And for one swift moment her hand entertwined with that of the vixen as she spoke. "But let us remember this moment…treasure it always. For even if we should never meet again…we will both know that neither of us is alone." And of course they _would_ remember…

Through the exterior cameras they could be seen departing the landing pad, walking toward the small receiving area a few hundred feet from the landing pad. Only Clarissa could be seen looking up at the ship as it departed…and the rabbit could see the emotion still fresh in her eyes even at this distance.

Switching off the cameras finally, she retrieved the datapad from her belt and typed in a few commands. There was a light crackle of electricity and slowly her fur color began to change, cycling through the color scale…until it settled on a shade of silky midnight black.

Changing her fur color had been simple. There had been no dying, no implants…simply a dusting of the Cryoxin V3 Cameo-Nanite Powder and she'd been able to change her fur color at will. She had of course, also changed her walk, that was one of the first things that others recognized, along with a few basic elements of her smell. Nothing drastic, just enough to signify herself as _different. _

A hand toggled a holographic switch and opened a channel. "_This is Rose to Zenia. I have gained her trust."_

As she closed the line after leaving the message however she knew that she had done it only by breaking one ot the cardinal rules of being a merc. She had empathized with Clarissa. Had allowed herself to feel the vixen's pain, like it or not they _were_ bonded in some fashion. And she had no idea how that bond might help-or hurt her in the future.

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Page 6 of 6 Created By: Alexander Cole 


	34. Admission

_(A/N) Alright, so winter break is over and the first chapter of the new year is offiicially off the presses. Again sorry for the delay but once you see the content of the chapter you'll see why it was so hard for me to write. Profuse thanks to Fuerstoss for advising me on some key points and to all of you lot for keeping a watch on your emails. Anyway, enough of my yap, on with the show! _

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Created By: Alexander Cole

Admission

"_The desert is a place of extremes. Blistering heat in the day, temperatures near freezing during the long nights. And always the sand and the wind reign supreme. But in this harsh place can be found exquisite beauty. The singing of the wind, the sculpted curves of the dunes as they rise and fall. It's natural savargery stripped Clarissa of her emotional armor, leaving her raw and battered against her mind's onslought. But it was then, naked and seemingly alone that a strange and curious strength found her. A power that can only be found when one follows the compass of the heart…"_

_Shiva's Log. Entry 34.566.3 _

He'd seen her upset. Seen her cry as memories that were long buried forced their way to the surface of her mental landscape like a newly tapped oil deposit bursting from virgin soil. But he had never seen her like this. Anger he could deal with. Fear he could deal with.

This was different.

She had noticed nothing, ignoring the gigantic array of Seer-YV-19 anti aircraft barrteries that ringed the perimiter of the first of the eight portals which led to the facility beneath, though through the sand which flew about them they could barely be glimpsed. Green eyes stared though the medium sized aircraft hangars not five hundred yards away from the doors themselves, doubtless holding fighters within their confines; ready at a moments notice to defend the shipyard against intruders. The sand and wind though fierce and unforgiving in their assualt seemed not to faze her, the vixen simply gritted her teeth and pressed on, seemingly not caring as the granules snarled in her fur, impacting against her suit with a low shushing sound manifesting as a sonic undercurrent all around them as the seemingly living desert shifted and contracted around them.

She was…_detached_ for a lack of a better word. And though he tried to convince himself as he pressed onward that these were her demons and that perhaps she was content to fight them alone, he knew that he was decieving himself. Something was at the forefront of her conciousness, a great and powerful feeling that threatened to break through the iron floodgates which he had seen her raise so many times in his presence.

_She's been stonewalling all her life… _ Zachary mused as they undid the pressure lock and entered the small building used to receiving visiting patrons to the Tanzini Shipyards. The signage above the building, which may have been bold and flamboyant was barely visible, the holographic projectors too caked with sand to function properly.

A simple room with benches- unoccupied ones and a single lime green front desk made up the building's bulk and Zachary found himself slightly underwhelmed, he'd expected to see more considering how much cash was probably circulating thorugh their servers. Still fanciful furnishings did not dictate quality. And quality, along with a proximity to the trade routes leadng to the Inner Rim and Dimensional gate was what the Tanzini Shipyards were known for.

Since the first orbital drilling platforms had begun shelling out the hole in the sand that was to become the Tanzini shipyards, the place had become something of an oddball, attracting all sorts of customers and employees. Humans, Avians, and especially Simians, Reptillians and Rodentia were commonly found as mechanics belowdecks.

A somewhat scruffy looking Golden Lion Tamarin with a crooked grin was there to greet them at the front desk, straightning his posture and minimizing the Interlink page as soon as they walked in the front door. Zachary stepped foreward, greeting the monkey who's flat face and beady eyes seemed to examine each of them closely before he spoke. The pair bantered for half a minute before pulling up the group's account information on the computer imbedded into the front desk.

"Ah, yes…party of four…cental docking focous is the _Malarkey…_hmm." The nimble fingers paused in their flight across the keys and scratched the top of the golden mane in exasperation.

"Sorry but we're in a state of required lockdown…new policy says we can only open the hatches every 11 hours. Air exchanges take place every three hours but those are done via secured vents so don't get any ideas about sneakin' in."

Shiva's hand slapped her face in annoyance. "Listen bud…you don't want to know what we've been though…any way you can make an exception?" The bat flashed him a surprisingly toothy- and dazzling smile which caused the monkey's dark colord cheeks turn a faint red.

"Well alright. I'll make an exeption…but only because of this lout. Ol' Zachary knows some of those guys down below, seen em do contract work when his NGN (Nubian Galactic Navy) cruiser needed an inspection a few years back. One of the old gearheads took a shine to him and the rest is history."

Shive had only begun to stretch her wings in relief when the simian raised one blunt digit. "Didn't say I was lettin' yall down below though did I? Normal patrons would pay decent cred's for accomadations…this one is Domavarti's treat. So you are free to crash in our temporary quarters until 1 AM when we raise the weather shields and open the gates. Savi?"

The monkey's tone though friendly was unwavering. If that was the best offer that they could hope to receive then they would take it. As the group turned round and started walking out the entrance into the blowing silt the simian yelled out the door. "Be careful out there…storm's blowing up something fierce!" Indeed it was, the wind slamming into them with shuddering gusts, the sand a caustic knife against their fur as they covered the few hundred meters to the dome shaped temporary quarters.

But privately Zachary was quite sure that the intense fury displayed by the desert was nothing compared with the emotional maelstrom raging in Clarissa's brain. And a small part of him doubted that she could brave it alone.

…….

The rooms were small, unadorned and private. Hot and cold communal showers were well placed in the central section of each circular level and though slightly outmoded were leagues cleaner than the ones supplied in most dives. Clarissa had declared the place empty the second they'd walked in the door and none had dared dispute her, the place seemed to have a sort of forlorn air, as if it once had been full of life.

All had retired to their respective quarters, palming the locks open and closing the doors behind them as they did so. Niether Lou nor the usually talkative Shiva made a remark about Zachary and Clarissa's unspoken decision to room together. By this time perhaps it had been guessed that some sort of connection had manifested between the two, and neither felt the need to voice the obvious.

A single bunk bed was nestled in a corner along with a wall length mirror which did little to dispel the rather claustrophobic feeling the room gave to it's occupants. The pair leaned against their respective walls,and slid down to floor level. For a long rime neither spoke, simply catching their breath and thinking their respective thoughts. Only Zachary's mind, now free of the distractions of the day was focoused solely on her.

Perhaps it was because he was so deep in thought that he did not see her draw her knees up to her chest, but it was her words, spoken in a cold and almost bitter tone that caused him to look up.

"Do you remember the message you gave me when I was in recovery on the Malarkey?"

She was looking at the floor as she talked, the will to raise her head gone. She simply didn't have the will. The German Shepherd's breath was shallow, body tensed as he listened to her speak.

"Yes."

" I remember how after that I felt special. I thought I was powerful. She told me I could fulfill my dreams, that I had been running for far to long and that now was my changce for redemption. Said that I was not guaranteed success…but that she was rooting for me, that every single version of myself wanted me to win. That I was the one chosen to become…_ascended._"_Clarissa_ laughed bitterly and looked up at him.

" I don't feel any better than I did before, I don't _feel _ascended. Those tests did nothing exept make me more neurotic than I already am, made me put my faith in some power that I can't even control. I couldent stop what happened to you, I could not…_predict _ any of it. And I stood there…and I let them beat you." Her hand balled into a first and pressed against her lips for a brief instant as she attempted to compose herself.

" The sick thing about it though, the really _sick _ thing was that for briefest instance it gave me hope. Not much. But enough. It was enough to make me think that I could escape the Coalition, enough to make me belive that I could make a better life for myself. And protect those I cared about." She raised her hand and curled it into a fist. Energy danced round her knuckles unbidden as she spoke, growing brighter with each sentence.

"_I tried to live a fucking nomal life today but even with this thing in my goddamned head the memories came back, the voices came back." _A knuckle cracked in her clenched fist as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut. "I _walked_ into that trap. I almost watched you die, coulden't move a limb, just waiting for something to happen, for a miracle. Lucky for me that chance decided to throw me a life preserver this morning. And even when I was healing you, when I had access to your mind I couldent tell you…" Her voice trailed off as she shifted her gaze upward to look at him and Zachary felt pins and needles prickle across his skin.

"You can say it now." His throat was tight and he felt his entire body singing with the emotions that she was radiating in almost palatable waves.

"_Zachary…I think I love you."_

He felt his heart stop. "You…love me?" She'd whispered it so softly that he half thought he'd imagined it. Zachary's mind was in the midst of catching up with his ears when she said the words that allowed him to breath. "Yes…I do."

She was silent for a few seconds

"_I didn't say it because I didn't think that all that damage could be erased in a week. All the scars..the fear of being wrong. I thought I was fooling myself that it was just the hormones talking, that you just wanted to get in my pants. I thought that I had so much hatred and anger and rage bottled up inside me that I was unloveable. What male would want me if he knew…what truly happned? And then you talked to me… and something clicked."_

Tears were streaming down her face now and he was supriesed to find his own cheeks to be wet as well…she was magnificent. Somehow beautiful even in this state of turmoil.

"_You are…smart and funny and perverted all the same time. You have the subtlety of a blunt axe and the precision of a scalpel. You are stubborn and bullheaded and have a past as bad or worse than mine and for some reason it makes you perfect."_

Her voice suddenly faltered. She looked up at him and he saw such an expression of longing shining within their green depths that his whole being vibrated in sympathy.

"_Do you…?"_

Zachary's hand reached toward her, grabbing hold and pulling her close. His fingers grazed her cheek, almost heasitantly at first but follwed by the slightly roughened palm as it followed the contours of her face.

"_Yes…" _

Later on Clarissa would say that _this _kiss out of all of them had held the most meaning for her. More than their first one in the meeting room onboard the Malarkey, for then she had merely been testing the waters, deriving no lasting pleasure from the act. Even on the Scarlett Carson she had been guarded, reserved, shielding herself from her feelings. Afraid of what they might lead to.

But this was the first time that she had completely given of _herself_ to him, this was no false shell of eroticisim. The touches were instinctual, the way her hands trailed across the fabric of his jacket and the fur beneath was _real_. Every second of it was true. She felt him shudder slightly as her breath seared across the back of his neck and sighed in a moment of contentment. She wished that she could pause time and simply stay there forever. In his arms there was no pain, no memories, no mistakes. There was only him, his love and his warmpth and his touch. She craved this feeling and felt her mind clinging to him as never before. _I don't want this to end…_ she thought before she fell asleep in his arms.

And in a sense her wish was granted. Her journey was not over- within the coming hours events would be set in motion that would set the course of a thousand fates; and allow her to finally reach the end of the road.

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Page 5 of 5 Created By: Alexander Cole

_(A/N) Oh and if you were wondering I work on this thing on a consistant basis, sometimes it just takes me longer than normal to tunnel through writers block. See Ya!_


	35. A Moment of Solace

Page 3 of 3 Tenth Circle:

Created By: Alexander Cole

A Moment of Solace

"_Without a doubt I have done many things in my time that would be considered 'evil'. I have killed. I have tortured, extorted money from the weak and from the strong. All without remorse or pity. I simply accept my actions as being part and parcel of my work at the Coalition, and also an indirect product of the manner in which I was raised. I am not evil merely practical, one of the few for whom the ends almost always justify the means. It is thus rather ironic that an event which happened not seven hours ago has affected me this deeply. _

_I can't get the images out my head. She cringed at my feet, shielding herself from my wrath. Defensless. The sense of fear pouring off her was almost tangible, the note of betrayal in her voice as she spoke rings in my ears even nowur. And I hate myself for causing her such pain. Perhaps she is right, that this persuit of power is changing me into a monster. If so, what she has seen is perhaps the final transformation in a metamorphasis that has taken the better part of my life. _

_I stand now, staring into the essence of my struggle. Power, raw and uncontained. Perhaps by viewing it in all it's fury I can learn to temper my own ambitions and prevent myself from losing Rose forever…"_

_MobileREC 9.001-Zenia_

Zenia knew that if the containment shields were to fail that she would be blinded. The sheer intensity of the photons streaming out from the Makow M-1 reactor's unbridled fury would fuse her rods and cones, searing the optic nerves and depriving her of sight. Of course this would be the least of her problems. Tendrils of energy would lash out at the walls of the superdense core room, hewn directly from the walls of the asteroid used to construct the base. Within microseconds one would find her and strike her as the runaway reactor's energy wave cascaded outward. There would be no pain, as there would not be enough time for the signals to travel to her brain before she died.

But then, considering what she had done to Rose…perhaps that was what she deserved. What right did she have to sight, when the last image burned upon the rabbit's retinas was that of her as an abuser? For one moment her thoughts strayed toward the notion of ending it all in a blaze of irriadiated glory.

It was only a moment.

Destruction of the base would be an admission that this problem was uncontrollable, that _she _was uncontrollable. It would make the years of work required to construct this base directly under the nose of the Coalition meaningless. And it would be an insult to Rose who had devoted so much of herself to this ultimate plan. The feline shook her head in disgust at her thoughts.

_Utter folly._

Finishing touches were now being put in, final adjustments to the weapons systems, shields and the engines that provided the installation mobility. In three days the bulk of the command crew would arrive, many of them handpicked from the ranks of the coalitoion for thier brilliance and because they shared Zenia's distaste for the current buerocracy. Along with them would come the full armory, soldiers, fighters and bombers to fill the voluminous hangar bays many levels down and pilots to be used in the assault...tacticians, communications experts...all devoted to this one moment in time. It would be only later after the dust had settled that the rank and file workers would be transported in and the flow of power could truly be restored.

The Makow M-1 wasn't running at full tilt now- that stage would come later, after the final tests had been run, and the enclosure was assuredly safe for it's complete activation. For now it was running at a mere one one onethousanth of it's pure potential energy. Thirty six warships were currently tethered to the base's exterior, seven of which fed raw power channeled directly from their reactors to feed the containment shields encasing the core. Ten of these sated the thirst of the gravitational field generators which would serve to boost the reaction even higher through sheer compression. There were 17 shields in all, spherical and layered on top of each other like an onion, each powerful enough to contain a 300,000 megaton blast.

At present only three were active. Even though the resultant cataclysm would be enough to vaporize Hiroshima 40 times over, the shields in their current state would easily contain the explosion long enough for the system to either be ejected or for a full scale evacuation to be put into effect.

Such power would be required to maintain the defensive shields, power the AI and power the seventeen Structural Integrity Generators dotted throughout the base's superstructure, who's lines of power would serve to hold the base together if the shields ever failed

The reactor could be perceived only as a glimmering pinpoint into which mesonic particals were sucked, seemingly from nothingness itself. It hovered in the center of a series of four metallic spires, along which the energy tendrils would course when the system was fully operational.

It was a symbol, a single glimmering point that soon would burst into a roiling conflagration of power and ambition. Ships would clash, blasters would fire. A corperation would be brought to it's knees. Only to be borne again in her image. The doors opened behind her to disgorge a technician in a sterile white uniforn.

"The _Carson _has been sighted three hours out on a direct intercept course. Docking bay 2 as been prepared for it's reception as per your orders. " Zenia did not turn round.

"Alert me upon it's arrival via interstation COM systems, otherwise heed my orders and leave me to my thoughts." Zenia heard the slight sound of departing feet and then the _clank_ as the security doors reengaged. She would follow in the unknown workers footsteps soon enough. It was best to take times of solace such as these when they presented themselves, for Zenia was quite sure that after this…the true work would begin.

_Trust m, after this there is more coming. It just took me so frigging long to figure out how to do this chapter and the sequencing of events. Rest assured, there will be multiple chapters coming down the hatch, within a few weeks if not later._

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Page 3 of 3 Created By: Alexander Cole


	36. Thousand Yard Stare

_Sorry about the delay folks, caught up in writing hitchs and general tiredness. Enjoy and review!1_

Page 6 of 6 Tenth Circle:

Created By: Alexander Cole

_Thousand Yard Stare_

"_You know how it goes. The commanding officer goes up there on the podium and gives a speech. And it's a real ripper, a tear jerker of the first degree. The fucker'll swear he'll give every inch of himself to ensure your survival that he'll bring you home. "We leave no man, no anthro behind." Iconic phrase eh? What they don't say in those speeches is that the home you return to might not be the one you've left. They don't say that there's never a parade, never a cheering crowd. The recruitment officer won't tell you that there's a 30% chance your girl will end up fucking the next door neighbor or a 10% chance that you'll come back with no one on the tarmack to meet you._

_That's the thing, no matter how much they want you to think that war has changed, become better, safer, cleaner more civil…in reality it hasn't. No matter the theatre, or the time period, it hasn't changed. Men still die, you still see blood. You still see things that make your blood boil and do things that make you hate your country or whatever the hell you are fighting for._

_And of course even if you come home without a fuckin' scratch, if you are the luckiest sunofagun EVER and every bullet misses you, and you save your commanding officer, get awarded the Medal of Honor go back home and marry the prom queen…it won't leave you._

_Your rifle will still be in your hands even though you turned it in years back, you'll still hear the clink of spent rounds and the screams of the dying, the cries for fathers, and mothers and girlfriends and gods of every denomination. Smoke and cordite will be in your nose at odd moments…and near tall buildings you'll search for snipers._

_So yeah…that's what war is in reality. A mess. A travesty. And the only thing which you relive every time you go to sleep."_

_-Unknown Soldier_

Even later on Clarissa would still not be able to remember what it was that had awakened her. Perhaps it had been the lack of his warmpth or the movement, small though it had been as he'd arisin. Nonetheless the vixen found herself awake and alone in the darkness.

For a moment Clarissa contemplated the possibility that all she'd experienced was a dream of some sort, a vivid utopian projection borne from the depths of a mind in turmoil. As her hand found the depression where he'd lain, sliding into the valley left upon the dark fabric she also reflected that perhaps she was going crazy. Was Zachary real…Shiva…Lou? _Any of it?_

_I've lived so long feeling powerless…perhaps I created the illusion of it to give myself a reason to exist. All of it could be a dream compressed into the space of a second. _

It was the sound of his breathing that caused the clamp upon her heart to lift and the stamp of reality to fall on the world. She looked toward what she thought was the door and _felt _his presence as a split second later the Matrix flared to life and threw his image into relief.

"Zachary?"

Her voice was a whisper as she pulled the coverlet over her shoulders and swung her legs over the side of the bed. He was pushing against the bulkhead door, head bowed as he pressed against the wall, arms quivering from exertion. For a moment she watched the muscles rippling beneath the mocha colored fur and wondered at his actions. Then he halted and turned to face her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you-"

"You didn't. At least not really…" Her words trailed off as her eyes met his own. Something was different. Something beneath the sleep haze that spoke of secrets long buried, hidden beneath a cocky grin and innumerable jokes. Something she'd seen in her own eyes…

Then he looked away. "Hell of a time for me to schedule my morning calesthenics eh?" His hand reached for the bulkhead door's control lever. "I'll just take it outside and leave you to your beauty sleep…" Again the smile had slipped into place like a glove, but this time it was strained, forced. She knew what he would do. She could guess. He'd go out that door into the solace of the hallway, away from her and drop down to his knees and-

"Zachary."

"What is it?"

"I…I know."

He stared at her for a moment in silence and then closed his eyes. "Half the time it's not the war, not the friends I've lost. It's the fact that I gave so much to them and never got anything back. I learned nothing, traveled to planets situated on the right ass cheek of God and met the devil each day we hit the field. And what do I have to show for it?" He threw up his hands in a useless gesture.

"Two medals, a family who has shunned me for speaking my views. And a uniform I'll never wear." He stepped foreward and allowed Clarissa to enfold him in her embrace.

"Your path of service led you to me. So perhaps in the end you did get something out of it after all." Clarissa murmered as she smoothed the fur of his cheek, eliciting a weary grin from him. She saw his eyelids beginning to droop. "Just rest now. I'll wake you when it's time for us to move."

As sleep claimed both, a single throught thrummed through the vixen's mind. _ Even the strong have their moments of fragility. And in those moments we must keep them whole…_

…………………………………

When Zachary awoke some hours later, he found his bed vacant. For a brief moment the German Shepherd wondered at Clarissa's absence but after a moment's consideration allowed the matter to drop. In love with him she might be, but she was still her own person, was bound to him by no tangible rope or restraint. Like him she had periods in which she needed her own time to think and ponder. And if those times did not include him then so be it.

After dressing in the dark, the German Shepherd stepped out of his room into the deserted hallway and proceeded toward the door leading to the outside. He was early, by a few hours at least; Shiva and Lou were quite probably asleep. As he should be. But as he approached the exit something beyond it seemed to call him, a gentle _pull_ that caused his hand to find the exit switch before he even knew he'd decieded to leave.

It was with some relief that he greeted the desert night, frigid though it was above he could see the brilliant glimmer of the stars spanning the night sky. The sand hissed beneath his boots as he walked to the crest of a high dune and sat down, staring out into the night and allowing the silence of the desert to flow about him. Soon he knew, this tranquility would be broken. Sirens would sound as feet pounded the tarmac of the landing pads and defensive mecha were shifted into their positions. He'd hear the scream of engines as escort fighters prepared to greet oncoming traffic and the low hum of the atmospheric shields surrounding the entire facility.

And as he stared out across the gloom, seeing the expansive circle of the portal nearest him faintly outlined in the faint glow provided by the stars above a realization hit him. He'd _missed_ this place. It hit him in a starteling wave, a wall of sensations and smells and faces. This was where he'd aqquired the Malarkey, where he'd met Lou during one of his shore leave periods. He'd sat and listened for hours as other mercs told tales of their exploits large and small, of successful jobs and failed ones, of relationships and politics. It was this place that had crafted him, shaped him into what he currently was.

"Funny…Diamonte always said I'd end up stopping back here eventually. Guess the prophetic old coot was right after all." A rueful smile flitted across his face as an image of Diamonte Domavarti flitted before his mind's eye. He'd been much younger when the pair had first met, he'd been cocky, more of an ass than he currently was and walked around with a chip on his shoulder. It had been that muskrat who'd taken him down a peg and shown him that the world in fact did not _owe _him anything, and that if he was to receive anything in life he'd have to work for it. To this day he'd still found it rather strange how out of all the beings he'd worked with, Diamonte was the only one who seemed to view him almost as a son, he'd taken him aside on occasion and simply spoke to him. He didn't know if the old foremaster had children or a family and hadn't asked. Some things just stayed hidden until it was their time to be revealed or were never broached at all.

As he pondered those years of his life his hands slowly descended toward the sand, fingers finally burying themselves beneath the desert's surface. Like the air, the sand was impossibly frigid but for a moment he simply reveled in his memories of the long nights and days of blazing heat. He could almost see the searchlights ringing the portals as they flickered into brilliant life, spearing the sky as a beacon to all comers, a sign that this small subculture below the sands would be a haven to all who came to it's doors. Still, for now at least, darkness reigned, the stars remained visible and the desert was silent.

After a few more moments he prepared to rise, and that was when he saw her. Clarissa was sitting at the opposite end of the same dune he'd crested, eyes closed and as still and calm as a statue, but Zachary guessed that she'd simply seen that he'd been thinking and had decided to leave him be. After a moment her eyes opened and she turned to face him. For a moment the pair looked at each other, and then as if on cue, rose.

"You knew I was out here didn't you?"

"Perhaps." The vixen's eyes flickered impishly as a slight smile graced her features

"Now I _know _ you did."

"How?"

"You're evading the question." Rolling her eyes Clarissa slipped her hand into his and looked out over the vista. "I left you alone because you seemed at peace. Didn't seem right to throw a stone into a pool of dead calm…and considering what you probably were thinking last night perhaps you needed the silence." After another pause she continued in a slightly airy tone, "Personally I think you've engineered the entire affair, from meeting me to my ship getting bollixed up. And honestly I can't complain, this is the first time I've ever really relaxed in…months, perhaps years. The first time I've ever really been happy."

"Well I aim to please."

She smiled at him and for an instant the world seemed infinitely brighter. "Honestly at this very moment I should be kicking your ass for wrecking my ship. But I'm not. I'll probably regret not doing it the second we get in the turbo lift, and I'd expect a tongue lashing if I were you as soon as I catch sight of her… but it will pass." She then lifted her muzzle and allowed her breath to feather across his ears as she said. "Be glad I am in love with you…"

"Was that intended to strike fear in my heart or seduce me?" She laughed at this and again the silence fell between them as they stood. After a while she turned round to look at the compound and her eyes flickered blue for an instant.

"What about them?"

"Who?"

"You know, the one with the wings and the big ears, and the other one with the claws-" She stopped when Zachary nodded in recognition after chuckling at her joke.

"Again, _what_ about them?"

"I don't know what their reaction will be to us…that is assuming that they know." The look of apprehension on her face dulled somewhat as the canid's arms slipped round her waist and drew her close.

"They'll find out in their own time. If Lou knows then he knows, and likewise with Shiva. They can think what they may, and be damned for their troubles!" She heard his voice fill with a sudden fierce, protective anger and returned his embrace, as below them the first lights began to flicker on around the farthest portals.

"Nothing can change the way I feel about you…"

And in this way they waited, until below them the first wave of alarm klaxons split the air asunder.

………………………

It turned out however that the other two would find out about their affair quite quickly. As Clarissa and Zachary held each other, seemingly oblivious to the sound and light streaming from the portal nearest them their muzzles drew closer and closer until they were but a hairs breadth apart.

"It's cold." The vixen murmered.

"I don't care."

"The world can see us."

"Let them…"

It was at this moment that the door to the compound slammed open and dislodged a slightly annoyed leapord and vampire bat who rounded on them at once. _"There you are, we've combed this entire building and-" _ Lou's rant died in mid stream and a crooked grin split his face. The leapord walked foreward, shaking his head in silent disbelief.

"Well if this don't beat all…a week ago you two were ready to claw each others eyes out and now…" his voice trailed off and a slightly wistful look came into his eyes. "Stranger things have happened I guess."

Shiva's wingbeats sounded overhead as she made a wide sweeping circle about the group, surveying the scene below, before coming down near Clarissa. "I'm surprised you hadn't seen it from the beginning. I guess..for some people it just _clicks_." She motioned to Lou to join her on their walk down to the portals edge where already the doors were beginning to open up.

As the pair proceeded down the slope, away from Zachary and Clarissa, the leapord looked back at Zachary and gave him a wry smile. "Well go on, kiss her." The vixen looked up at him, her eyes luminous despite the light. "You heard the man…"

He kissed her.

Hard.

6

Page 6 of 6 Created By: Alexander Cole


	37. Ultimate Betrayal

Page 7 of 7 Tenth Circle:

Created By: Alexander Cole

Ultimate Betrayal

"You know…when you left…I did the only thing I could do. I ran. Not in the literal sense but I just….threw myself into whatever I could think of to keep my mind from grasping what I'd done. And shit, let me tell you a base this size is a _big _ distraction. A _dream_ this size…is larger still."

Hands clutched one another as lips fell silent. For a moment the feline found herself mute. Lips opened as she attempted to speak and her larynx tightened convulsively. Somewhere on the back of her tongue she tasted bile.

Zenia forced herself to look up and face the rabbit sitting across from her, curled in an opposite loveseat, her actions mirroring the felines perfectly. Of course, _she_ wasn't radiating guilt. Ordinarily Zenia's eyes would have been focoused on her completely, for this rabbit was the sole object of her adoration, her affection. She was the reciepient of her love. And thus Zenia's gaze would not have been drawn to the far wall, which bore twenty landscapes and tapestries from as many worlds. She would not have noticed the flecks of fire which sparkled in the rooms central pillar, small semiprecious stones culled from the inner mantle of the astroid itself.

But now she found herself almost having to look away, to distract herself for she was afraid. She feared the guilt, the pain of admittance…but most of all she feared rejection. Again she looked up, the coal black eyes capturing her…and again terror and guilt knifed through her. Somehow she found herself speaking, actual words. Words which were dripping with guilt and sorrow…but words nonetheless. And perhaps that was what was needed now.

"I don't think I've ever felt guilt for anything that I've ever done until now. And I've never known that it could be this raw and all encompassing. My body feels as though it's on fire, I feel pins and needles in my hands…and it dosn't go away at all it just _sits _there and festers and it…"

She paused to attempt to compose herself as she'd begun to speed up and she knew that her heart was racing. She couldent lose control now. Not when she was here. The thought reverberated like a mantra, that she must not lose control. But again her body betrayed her and she pulled a ragged breath into her lungs before going on:

"I…_hurt _you. I _threatened_ you. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't stopped myself and that's the horrifying thing that keeps running through my mind. _What might I have done to you had I not held back?" _

The feline looked up and some part of her wondered if the rabbit could see the yawning emotional chasm that she felt opening within her at that moment. And from it's depths welled up a new feeling. Despair.

"I don't deserve you."

Zenia's eyes were tightly shut now, partially to shut out the rabbit's image and also to hold back the tears that threatened to overwhelm. She waited for what seemed like forever. Finally Rose spoke…

"This is what you deserve…"

A ringing slap. A stream of curses equaling in their fury the anger that she had projected on Rose on that day. All of this would have been expected, and indeed in her heart she believed that it was what she deserved.

_Do unto others as they do unto you…_

A brief convulsive shock raced through her as hands encircled her head briefly. Soft and gentle were the fingertips as they teased the chin upward. And the lips that pressed against her own seconds later on were softer still.

"How…how can you still….still _care?"_

Rose answered without words, deepening the kiss briefly before pulling away to speak.

"I… I don't know. All I know is that when I am with you I feel such strength and completion that it outweighs anything you could have done to hurt me."

Still Zenia's eyes pleaded with her to understand. "I need to atone for what I did. Such forgiveness is not guaranteed from anyone. And you mean so much to me…" Her head had begun to lower again when Rose lifted her chin and nuzzled the crook of her neck, murmering:

"Atone by making love to me with a burning passion. Let your attraction for me guide your actions and your speech. Let none threaten my person without your immediate intervention."

The hands of both were almost clumsy, such was their haste to divest each other of their clothes. But as the pair prepared to give in to their rapidly mounting desire Zenia prayed that this moment would be the beginning of a gentler time for them both. But as she would later reflect when their passions had cooled…the gods often saw fit to ignore such supplications.

……………………………………..

"What did you learn of Clarissa?"

"She is a fox of course. Belonging to the _Vulpes lagopus _genus, if one wishes to use the human species designation. Her height is about five feet seven inches inches and weight is normal for her body type and size. Her eyes are bright green."

Zenia's hand squeezed the rabbit's gently, and her lips whispered the next question in one tall, black furred ear: "Please expound regarding the physical descriptions…my dear…" Rose was moving as if in a trance, the only evidence of her great concentration an occasional twitch in a muscle or a slight pause.

Very few individuals were known to have te ability to shift their brains into the Alpha wave state at will, but it was in this mode that Rose found it easiest to recount information to her lover. There were risks, she knew, each time she used it there was the risk of psychological damage, due to unintended suggestion or even the takeover of her mental faculties by the questioner. In the back of her mind the rabbit knew that with but a paragraph of speech, she could have the rabbit reduced to a vegetative state.

But she trusted her. And so she continued, dreamily arching her neck upward to receive the reward of kisses which would surely be trailed up it's length as she spoke.

"Physically she is strikingly attractive. To both male and female parties she would be considered a viable mate, or sexual partner. Unless one counts the three rings on her right ear there are no redily visible phsycial marks or identifiers on her person. Considering her experiences on the planet…she would have wanted to remove all but a few scars from her body.

She moves with a grace that is uncanny and although knowledgeable of her own beauty, seems unwilling to accept it. She uses it, as she uses many things, as a weapon."

Here the rabbit inhaled briefly and squeezed the feline's hands sharply, Zenia's own spasm was immediate, maintaining the connection between them was crucial.

Another question:

"What of her mind?"

"Her mental faculties are highly developed, mirroring yours on an almost exacting level. From her speech, I guessed that she was well educated up to a point in her life, and her analytical abilities are quite sound. Her tongue is sharp and her temper as quick as a switchblade."

A slight smile crept over the rabbit's face as she continued, breathing in once again.

"She has killed many in her line of work, and while she does not share the same degree of sadisim you do…the potential is still there. There are doubtless, a few who have provoked her ire…and have suffered greatly before they died because of their folly. But it is her memories of the past that made her what she is…and allowed me to deceive her in such a manner.

I sensed, in my time in which I was with her, that if there is any one thing she fears, it is that she was alone in her experiences. She _knows_ that there are others who suffered with ?  
her, and who even now languish in the dark corridors beneath the surface. But to be the only one to survive and escape…it has been the knife in her heart for years. And so while her body has escaped it's chains…her mind still lingers…"

And here Zenia detected a note of sadness in the rabbit's voice that would have made her cock her head, had she not been concentrating so completely on her words.

"There is no other reason that an individual with an intelligence equaling your own would belive such falsehoods-unless they were so hell bent upon ending the cycle of their memories that they would do anything to stop it. Even if the end to the means is futile."

The voice trailed off to a brief silence as Rose leaned back against the bedframe in exhaustion. Dark hands covered her face for an instant and a shudder rippled through her body.

"There is…one more thing."

"Yes?"

"She's in love. The leader of their team was injured and I allowd them the use of the ship's sickbay. They… she and Zachary were… kissing. She was holding him and…and he was…"

Her voice caught suddenly and Zenia felt the grip on her hand tighten as the muscles in the rabbit's throat clenched convulsively. Alarm pulsed through her

"He was kissing her…and looking at her as if she was the most precious thing in the world to him at that moment. As if that room _was_ their universe, and that moment the only action in it."

As she spoke her voice seemed to quaver slightly and Zenia felt the grip tighten to a painful extent. And still she continued.

"It was…tender and it was romantic…and wrong."

Zenia had never heard Rose speak like this. The venomous edge seemed to distort the very sound of her voice, and the note of betrayal…some past wrong that was connected to that moment and those words spoken in anger keened in every syllable which issued from her lips.

"_Rose…I need to know"_

"_I…I can't…"_

"_What did he do…"_

It was futile. She would not- or _could not_ speak. All Zenia could do was hold her. Hold her and vow silently that whatever he had done…this Zachary…whomever he was that she would find out. And then she'd make him pay in blood.

………………

"As I look out tonight over those of you who have seen fit to remove yourselves from your duties aboard this station to be here…I cannot help the feeling of pride that wells up from within. For you…small assemblage that you are, are the best technologicial minds that the Galaxy…and the system have had to offer."

Zenia's left hand lifted to enscribe a slow arc as she stood upon the ampitieatre's stage, the limelight making her coat shimmer as she shifted. Looking on from the gloom of stage left Rose saw her lover, resplendent in her business suit of dark red which seemed to glow as the photons showered down from above.

"You come from many worlds, engineers from the Svalvad Cluster, Quantum Plysicists from the D9 Collusion and logistics personell from the Sverian Alliance of planets near the dimensional gate to name a few. Many of you have served the Coaliton in the past…and most if not all have seen it's impact. It is by now obvious the wealth it brings to those who wield it's strength…and the ruin it brings to those who provoke it's ire. Others see the planets held beneath it's fingers…and the awe inspiring military force at it's command."

She paused for a moment to look out over the group and closed her eyes for a beat…gathering herself it seemed. All was quiet. Then…

"But perhaps it was not my eyes but my heart that has guided me in the years past, from the moment I began working for them…to this day. For I look at this organization…and I see an organizim riddled with cancer…rife with disease…and oozing wasted potential from every pore. It is a system which pits brother against brother, and species against species, not in friendly competition but in a persuit for ever greater power and wealth which leaves the main body as a whole inefficient and impotent.

Your rulers accumulate the fat on their backs through manipulation and trickery, pitting you against one another to prevent you from realizing what you are to them…_slaves._ They exist on every level…and hold all the power.

But I believe that they can be beaten. And obviously so do most of you."

The crowd of technicians were on the edges of their seats now…bound to her every utterance. Rose knew that if she had been showing her true feelings the feline would have been grinning triumphantly from ear to ear…but her body projected an aura of sheer conviction that would have allowed her to command legions with but a word.

"I would not have amassed such funds, I would not have commissioned this base in secret, I would not have _hand picked_ the major staffers for this interprise if it were not possible. Within the next few weeks we will have the main compliment of our defensive forces delivered into our hangar bays and the initialization of the weapons systems will have been completed. Four battalions of soldiers and legions of pilots, mechanics and tacticians will be onboard for the oncoming battle. And once that is completed…the power transfer will begin. However…"

And here she paused abruptly to stare out over the crowd, her gaze now searching the 900 faces arrayed in front of her, accusing them with her eyes for but a moment before continuing:

"However it has come to my attention that some of you have doubts. Some of you belive that it is only a matter of time before this house of cards falls and we are crushed beneath the weight of my ambitions. Some of you doubt my leadership…

Well let me be the first to tell you that although I undestand your fears and sympathize with you….the time for indicision has passed. You signed those contracts knowing that you would be bound to them…and to this vessel. Breaching the documents at this stage would be…ill advised.

Let it now be known that all unaoutherized vessels leaving this station will be disabled or destroyed with all available weaponry, and that anyone seen attempting to escape or found to be transmitting information of any sort to Coalition headquarters will be summarily executed.

For all intents and purposes this vessel does not exist, and the moment you signed on, you as well passed into the ether. High or low on the totem pole, to me all of you are expendable. You are complicit in this affair, and if they come for me, they will doubtless, come for you. Their justice will be swift and painful. Mine will be inventive and protracted-but also painful. The choice is yours…"

She was cold.

She was ruthless.

A true monster. Her words exemplified this, the smile that split her features for the briefest of seconds brought this fact into stunning clarity for all the world. And some part of her recognized this, and was afraid. She knew that this energy which surged through her now, a thrumming heat which begged for blood and the reign of chaos would destroy her.

It would also destroy Rose. In that moment she realized that the very act of loving her was betrayal. And yet as the crowd filed out in a stunned silence…she looked back at the rabbit and found that she _couldent_ stop.

"You've put the fear of god into them my love." Rose said, smiling as the feline stepped out of view of the stage.

"More like the fear of the devil."

And with that utterance the lights went out, darkness descended and consumed all it touched.

7

Page 7 of 7 Created By: Alexander Cole 


	38. Chapter 38

Page 19 of 19 Tenth Circle:

Created By: Alexander Cole

**Yes…I've been out of the loop for months. It's been a long torturous road up to this point. I'm just going to let you know now that there WILL BE ERRORS. Many errors, misspellings capitalization errors, all because this section required the linking together of multiple sections. I just had to get this out and I couldn't have done it without the help of Fuerstoss. Really good person and writer. Think of it this way, you waited for months…but you got 16 pages to slog through**

_Descent_

"_Apparently I've been running on fumes for the past few weeks and just never noticed it. Zachary said that I simply slid down the wall and fell asleep the moment the doors closed and that he didn't have the heart to wake me during the journey. _

_I didn't exactly dream… but what I remember most was emotions,many of them at once. There was pain…fear. Loneliness…deep and crushing. And also joy…a bewildering rush of it. I really…really want to know what it all means..but my thoughts are a mess right now after all that's happened recently._

_The fact is that I'm tired. Not just in the physical sense but spiritually. Sometimes for a brief instant everything appears in shades of grey and…I can't __**feel**__ anything in a normal sense. And then it just…shuts off like a light. Perhaps it started when I was banned from the Inner Rim, or when I shot Arixa in his apartment. Perhaps it was when I saw Katryna's henchmen beating Zachary…and was too afraid to act._

_Maybe I've been this way since my father died._

_At this juncture, speculating as to how the feeling began is irrelevant. I just want it to stop. Now that I think about it…maybe that's why so many drown themselves in drink, or sex, or drugs. Because they're just as weary as I am but they've simply given up. And so escape is their only option. All I know is that I've ben running from my past for far too long. If I can't come to grips with what's happened to me on Ghi now…I never will. _

_And if I can't do that…I'll never be able to love."_

_Clarissa's Log_

"My god…this place is huge."

"Must have taken years of construction…maybe even half a decade or more."

"Fuckload of diggin's all I can wager. That and hazard pay out the ass."

Zachary's gaze however was not focoused on the view of the complex's cavernous depths, teeming with speeders, ships and massive repair platforms that hovered in mid air as workers swarmed about their surfaces. Instead he stared at her.

Clarissa was leaning against the far railing in the same relaxed posture as the rest of them, ignoring the anthros and humans milling around them, as they proceeded about their business. But again that far off look was in her eyes…that same look he'd seen when she…_panicked_ back at the resort. It was as if she saw the world in a different, darker light than everyone else…even those who knew just how fucked up the universe really was.

He'd seen it first hand on the battlefield watched as military training give way to the most bestial impulses amongst soldiers as they desecrated the dead and eviscerated the dying with their weaponry. And in the heat of battle he had been like them-and proud as hell to wear the NGN insignia. Pride that he now knew to be unfounded.

He was no hero…had no illusions about it. But now that he was out he tried to just keep his head above water…prevent himself from thinking about what he'd participated in.

_You're running just like everyone else. That smile isn't real…that laugh isn't real… You feel the pain of the past just like she does. _

Zachary's neutral expression shifted into a slight frown as this thought came to mind. Was his manner of dealing with it any better than the vixens? Knowing the past, and his part in it…and then attempting to ignore it… or trivialize it. Was that what he'd been doing all this time? 

"She makes you look at yourself doesent she?"

Shiva's voice was quiet as she looked out at the view. Then she turned to look at him.

"What do you mean?"

"She makes you look at yourself and wonder if you're worthy enough to have her. And from what I just saw…a part of you think's you're not."

"That's not true…Not exactly…"

"What is the truth?"

"The truth is that…" he stole a glance at her again and then shifted his eyes foreward. "I look at her and sometimes I think she just see's things in a different way. To her the world is darker…and I'm wondering if my eyes have been lying to me all this time. Maybe you really _can't_ trust anyone anymore, and with the way society's turning out maybe it's best that you just…keep to yourself."

Shiva stood there for a moment. "If you can hold her in your arms and not feel the world brighten even the tinest bit…then maybe you're right. Hole up together and ride out the storm and leave the universe to it's own devices." The bat looked up at him and said simply. "I think the reason you were put together…was to convince her otherwise."

And again he found himself marveling at Shiva's brilliance. "I need to take Clarissa to see someone down below…another member of the Vampyrum spectrum that can help her with her new abilities."

Zachary's eyebrows rose somewhat. "Abilities…what do you mean?"

"Don't play the stupid card with me Zachary, you're a damn good liar but I can always smell one out. Look at you, not a scratch. I saw what that lizard and her thugs did to you. Technically you should be in a hospital at the moment…shouldn't even have walked off that ship. I _felt_ the backwash of energy when she healed you….the emotions as well. She loved you very much Zachary…even before she voiced it.

You were the ultimate reason that she went along with Victoria…she threatened to go with the rabbit by herself if we refused a course of action that would lead to your survival."

He now was looking over at Clarissa, incredulous. That anyone would take such a risk for _him_ was astounding to say the least. And yet…

"I promise you that after we are done she'll be sent to rendevous with you and the leapord."

He nodded. "As you wish."

Stepping back from the edge he stetched briefly and then began elbowing his way through the crowd toward the fox. Shiva watched him go, smiling quietly. _He deserves her…I'm sure of it._

………………………….

Being a flighted creature, Shiva had no need of a hoverbike, and of couse the shipyards had accomadations for this. Well sized gaps in the force barriers had been placed near each turbolift to allow for those who wished to literally stretch their wings to do so. Of course there were also warnings about the sheer unpredictability of air traffic and about just how _far _you would fall if you went into an uncontrolled dive.

But, being a bat she had a relationship with flight and the air that went far beyond the rudimentary training most avians received during their youth. Smiling quietly she looked off the edge at the platform. _What's flight without a hint of danger? _

"Alright…I'm ready to go…I don't know about these two though…still arguing over who's driving the damn thing." The leapord shot an annoyed look at the two canines who were standing on either side of the two seater hoverbike and glaring at each other.

"I'm a better pilot."

"Bull, I'm stonger than you and can put force behind the steering when it's needed."

"I actually _own_ a hoverbike, and what was that about being a better pilot? Who screwed up the ship owned by who_? _And besides….I think you'd rather take the passenger position anyway."

"And why would that be?"

Stepping foreward with a coy smile Clarissa placed a finger against his chest. "Because I'd be pressed against you the entire time- for safety concerns." Her eyes bore into his own.

"Please, Zachary?"

Muttering something unintelligible under his breath the german shepherd motioned for her to sit down and take the handlebars. As he did so the leapord leaned left and said "Dude…you're so frigging whipped."

"Shut up before I send you down there without your bike." Zachary groused.

As Clarissa started the bike's engines with a skirling whine she gunned the twin microturbines and, looking back at him said. "Well…_someone's_ happy to see me." In response Zachary locked his arms about her midsection and pulled her tightly against him, leaning foreward to mirror her position.

"You asked for the drivers seat." He murmered against her

Despite the fact that she knew that Shiva could fly, Clarissa was struck with a momentary thrill of horror when the bat simply stepped off the edge with a barely suppressed smirk on her lips. She'd barely gotted her grip on the safety disengage switch when she suddenly leaned violently to the left as the leapord blew past her and vaulted off the edge, the heat of the exhaust causing a momentary distortion in the air before he disappeared from view.

Reminding herself to give the leapord a hearty smack upside the head when she next saw him for that dumbass stunt, without further ado the vixen disengaged the safties and redlined the throttles briefly before engaging the drive motors and the bike pulled them over the edge with a vicious _yank_.

"_What the hell are you doing?!" _ Zachary snarled in her ear as they swept out over the maze of traffic below.

"Getting us out the gate quickly…gotta see where in the hell she descended to…" Suddenly Clarissa caught a flash of furred wing membranes several hundred feet below. "Gotta be her." All it took was a brief pitch foreward to send them screaming ahead, as Clarissa followed the curve of the station's superstructure and attempted to begin her descent. This was easier said than done however, traffic here didn't seem to follow any sort of pattern and she continually found herself blitzing inches away from speederbikes, hovercraft or wayward floating platforms as they swept through the planet's depths. It was after she had swerved out of the path on an oncoming cargo hauler loaded with dormant fusion cores that she heard the unmistakable sound of multiple airhorns down below and cursing in a number of Instinctual languages .

_Dammit she's descending again…. _The German shepherd's arms tightened about her midsection as vertigo sunk it's teeth into his stomach. Risking a backward glance at Zachary who was holding on with an expression of resigned discomfort Clarissa remarked. "We need to go farther down I think."

"Well then do it. The less time you're at the controls and I'm stuck wondering just how many things I'll hit on the way down the better." Clarissa shot a grin backwards and began a gentle descent. "Alright…I'll slow down a bit. Didn't think you were that flighty in the air."

"I am when what I'm riding is liable to fling me off if I pitch to hard to the left or right. Or rather if the pilot does." He said, nudging her hard in the ribs, at which she laughed and without warning nudged the craft into a flatout dive, spiraling past speeders and shuttlecraft laden with cargo, all with Zachary's heart thudding against her upper back as he clung to her for dear life.

_Just one maybe two more miles down. _He forced himself to believe this as they began weaving through a crisscrossing network of catwalks and floating platforms. Zachary could see ships of every conceivable make and model upon their surfaces and as they screamed increasingly closer and closer to the edges of the catwalks, could make out the different species of animals as they sailed past. A few novices jumped back…the rest of the populace who knew better simply kept walking.

Finally they reached a section of comparatively empty space, and Clarissa eased up on the throttle slightly. It was at this time that Zachary spoke. "You know, historians have called this place the 'london bridge ' of the anthro universe. I can tell you that there are quite a few who were born here, sought work, lived, married and died without seeing the surface. And they never cared to do so."

"What reasoning's behind such a decision?" she said as she scanned the space below for upcoming platforms and for Shiva's movements with her Matrix's blue tinted augmentation.

"This place is contained…safe. There's trouble down here, and it's as rough as a place as you'll find. But some want to stay away from the shit going on above ground…if that's your aim then there's no better place to be than beneath the planet's surface."

More time passed and the pair continued downward for the last few miles in a brooding silence. The air in this layer was pleasantly cool and during this Zachary allowed himself to actually enjoy the sensation of a controlled fall brought to him by Clarissa's piloting. She seemed to have lost her need to rush downward, instead shifting to slow curving descent pattern that had him on the verge of falling asleep.

"Zachary…we're here. "

His eyes flickered open and in the dim light he could barely make out the outline of Shiva as she stood near the force barrier at the edge of the platform. Her wings flared briefly as she stretched, her jaws opening wide as she displayed her impressive set of fangs.

"About time you showed up. Zachary. I'd advise you to leave… Sinara does not accept many visitors to her platform."

Zachary dismounted stiffly and stretched his arms over his head, bending over and cracking his back before climbing into the drivers seat. "Be safe you two. Clarissa, call me when you're done so I can take you down alright?" The fox stepped foreward and briefly pecked him on the lips. As he mounted the bike, tested his grip and then swept over the platforms edge like a shot, she found herself wondering just what she had gotten herself into.

Her gaze swept upward to meet Shiva's own. "I guess I'll find out soon enough where this path leads."

"As long as you move foreward….you're going the right way." Clarissa blinked. She was beckoning to her, wings partially outstretched as she prepared to lead them both into the gloom beyond.

"Shall we then?"

Clarissa smiled. "With a will comrade…with a will." And with that the two fell in stride and proceeded into the darkness of the unknown.

…………………………

"Sinara is one of our species who still ascribes to the teachings of generations past."

Clarissa's eyes could barely be distinguished as dull bkue pinpricks in the gloom as she walked alongside shiva, the Matrix's sensors allowing her to see with such stunning clarity that she might have been in full daylight.

"How do you know?"

"The darkness. A good three thousand years ago our ancestors found the genetic mutation that makes our species sensitive to light…genetic defects in the eyes that stunt the growth of the optic nerve. It was this which upon our birth as a species spurred us along the genetic path to using sound as a means of navigation. Some choose to have genetic changes made as they age, or to have special procedures done to allow our eyesight to be equal to or to surpass that of the average anthro. But there are others who value the darkness for what it gives to those who know it's true worth."

"And what is the true value of the night?"

In amswer the bat halted and gently took Clarissa's hand in her own. "Close your eyes Clarissa." The fox did so and felt a brief thrill of fear mixed with anticipation run down her spine. Suddenly a brief flush of warmpth was at her fingertips and her hand twitched in shock.

"What you are now feeling is as the humans referr to it an 'aura' or the natural energy field that all biological beings posess. Despite their youth as a speices certain members of their race knew of the existence and complexity of this energy field long before the advent of technology came to them…"

Her hand moved foreward again and this time she felt fur beneath her fingertips. "This is what the abscense of light gives us. A greater connection to the physical and spiritual realm than could ever have been asked for." Clarissa head spun as the intricate patterns and overlapping grains of the bat's fur swam in her conciusness and over it all Shiva's voice.

"This is truly seeing without eyes. Sinara embraces the world fully, and takes what most would consider to be a disadvantage and has turned it into a strength. It is this ability that has allowed our race to endure."

Clarissa's next words were softly spoken. "And you, do you ascribe to such an ideal ?'"

Shiva smiled ruefully and released the vixens hand. "Some might see it as a sign of my youth or of my headstrong nature. Unlike Sinara and others like her I still treasure the light for what it reveals."

"The only thing the light has ever revealed to me is just how much is wrong with the world." Clarissa's gaze hardened as she removed the bats palm from her cheek.

"And conversely it can also reveal a lot of good. You just have to look for it."

Shiva smiled as she watched as the fox proceed ahead of her into the gloom. _There's hope for you yet Clarissa. _

…………………………..

"_Let those who kill one, be subject to the wrath of all."_

_Line seven of the "Vow of Protection"-Vampyrum Religious Texts._

"_The darkness has been feared for centuries by many species. They fear what it holds, what it can conceal, and shy away from it with a will, as thousands of years of instincts have dictated. But then…there are others like myself who have seen the shadows contained within this planet's depths and upon its surface and felt it's power. But of those others, precious few use it for good. _

_I've seen much on this station. I have heard things that make me realize exactly why my race retreated to the farthest reaches of known space. Depravity…cruelty. Astounding abuses of power by those who wield it over others. I have seen males and females upon these catwalks with no perception of the value of life; that of their own or of others. And worst of all there are those who simply kill for the sheer violent pleasure of the act. Such monsters strike fear into my heart as nothing else has. _

_But those who use the darkness as a tool for evil must never forget that someone is always watching…listening. The screams of the dead are percieved by the ears of precious few-but nonetheless they are still heard…"_

_-Sinara_

The tinkling sound of running water reflected from the porcilian sides of the washbasin as Sinara rolled up the sleeves of her shirt and prepared to begin the ritual in honor of the second Vampyrum vessel to grace her tools in three years.

'_Cleanse the hands and upper arms thoroughly, rubbing the agent into the coat with a circular motion. These movements symbolize the strength of the Vampyrum familial unit as well as the sonic gift that each member of our race is endowed with from the moment of thier birth.'_

These words she remembered as clearly now as the day her MetalWeaving instructor- that was what those who displayed an aptitude in the construction and maintenece of their native technology were called- had imparted them to her. And even in this profession, the celebration of the legacy of their species remained a constant.

Although still quite young by Vampyrum standards Sinara was a full decade older than Shiva, and the mental progression made in that difference was immediately visible to any bat whom she might chance to meet. Physically however, she still looked like an individual in her early twenties and although her beauty was a source of pride to her; on occasion it tended to become a hinderance when intereactions with those who were not so easily awed by her stoic demeanor were called for.

But at this moment, her mind was not focoused on any of her current cases, but solely focoused on completing the Ritual of Receiving that would allow her to heal the craft brought to her not three hours previous. Her nimble hands moved with a smooth carefree motion up and down the contours of her slender arms and between her fingers as the specialized cleaning agent restored the luster to her dark grey coat. As she did this, in her mind she recited the 'Seven Colonial Vows', short passages found within the vampyrum religious texts that were meant to give their specdies guidance across generations.

The bat allowed her arms a few more seconds beneath the stream before shutting it off. On the small shelf next to the basin were two unadorned golden rings which she fitted onto the middle and index finger of her left hand, these symbolizing the two branches of the Vampyrum Colonial Bloodline.

As she left the bathroom and strode through the substantially larger living area she carefully removed an ornately wrought hand device from where it hung on a wall. The bat could not suppress a shiver of anticipation as she slid her hand through the thick circlet of pure copper and threaded each of her fingers through the black crystal rings which were linked with miniscule copper chainlets to the main band. Copper caplets which slid over the end of each didget and were wickedly curved served to complete the item that was the essential part of any Weaver's arsenal.

Outside Sinara closed her eyes spreading her wings to capture the breeze that welled upward from air exchange vents situated farther below. Sinaras eyes were closed as the bats echolocation allowed her to weave through the now empty engine testing rigs and energy docks that made up her repair pad. She'd transferred the ships of all her other clients (five) to a temporary holding facility in a smaller cave tunneled after the facilitys contruction, used in those rare periods of overflow traffic. Her customers had no cause for alarm, they knew her work, that it was good and that this inconvience only happened every few years. And even if they had put up a storm of definance she would have done it anyway, her ultimate loyalty was to the Vampyrum Spectrum…not to them.

If form followed function, then while the clean agile lines of Shiva's needlelike scout fighter hinted at a vessel which threaded it's way through enemy lines, sowing the seeds of ruin in it's wake, the severe and prescise lines of the Assault craft brought a more deadly shape to mind.

A blade.

To be more prescise, two inwardly curved sicklelike blades which swept outward at an angle from the mid section of the main body. Only a barely visible blisterlike protrusion rising from the ship's mid fuselage indicated what would have been the cockpit on an anthro or human vessel. Threaded about it's thick hull armor were imbedded circuits of cobalt blue which pulsed gently with energy, ready to unleash the smaller and less deadly cousin of the Arc Point Energy projectors used on the hulking Leviathan class of warcraft.

Dispersive Atomic Pulse Projectors were fitted at the end of the twin bladed tips and on the underside of the ship was a single sonic screamer, a miniaturized atmospheric devastaion weapon that, with but a thought could send devastating sonic pulse beams down through the atmosphere to shatter enemy installations like glass. Four dormant propulsion spheres were magnetized to the rear end of the vessel, ready to break free upon flight and hover around the rear of the ship, their cuncussive energy blasts allowing the vessel to fly at speeds rivaling that of the scout fighters themselves.

As Sinara approached the nose of the scout, it being the vessel nearest her, one delicate finger played across it's hull. Sinara felt the faint ripples of the brand mark seared directly onto the armor, and beneath that, the familiar weakly pulsating energy that singnaled the presence of the ship's Native Intelligence, a vital sentient part of all vampyrum warvessels and one of the many things that made their ships truly unique.

And it was this part she would contact now. She stood between the mandibles of the Blade facing the cockpit, legs slightly beyond shoulder width apart, wings spread to provide her with the sensation of the winds which gave her people the gift of flight and sound.

Dark eyes closed.

Wing membranes became taut.

And Sinara began.

She spoke, but not with words. Nor in the language of her people. The harsh pulses of sound which wound from her throat were more akin to a highly complex morse code than the liquid Vampyrum instinctual tongue. Translated literally it was 'Machine Language', the speech of their sentient craft known only to the MetalWeavers and precious few pilots. In this way she greeted the Blade.

Hands reached out to make contact with pleasently cool alloy.

The brief _click_ of metal against metal sounded as Sinara's copper clad fingers made contact with the ship's surface.

And then there was pain.

Horrible and bone wrenching in it's intensity, a sensation which throbbed as it twisted things inside her-parts of her which she had never known _could_ feel. Nontheless they did.

It was the Death Scream. And Sinara was completely unprepared for it. She sank to the ground trembling as the waves of sound and transmitted emotional energy buffeted her like a typhoon. A desperate part of her wanted to wrench her hands away from the hull and clamp them around her ears. But she was no longer in control. And so she did the only thing she could.

She screamed.

That was two days before Zachary and his team had arrived.

………..

Clarissa would later remember her actions from this point on as being the moment for her in which she knew that some fundamental part of her had been altered. Not much. But enough. Perhaps Zachary had done it with his kisses and his rough but wise words.

Maybe she'd simply gotten tired of being such a bitch on that particular day.

Regardless of motivation, when she'd stepped into the light and seen Sinara being held at gunpoint by a red wolf in a faded black combat vest the first thing she did was take advantage of the surprise of the male and launch an immediate disarm statement:

"Well I have to ask…how in the hell did you get that piece down here? Trust me I've been trying like hell to get myself some protection but those damn security techs are a buncha assholes."

The wolf's mouth closed as he scrambled for a reply. Clarissa didn't give him time, instead taking another few steps closer as she continued nonchalantely, "I have to hand it to them…they've got this entire installation picketed with A/V and survielance sensors…I'd bet it wouldn't take much more that a slip of a finger to send a security team down to this depth…

Of course if you're going to do it, don't mind me, or her-" she pointed to Shiva who stood next to her, teeth beginning to bare and wings flaring in anger. "We'd love a good showing. Me, personally I'd do the smart thing." Clarissa smiled good naturedly at him.

"Let her go before someone gets hurt."

The words hung in the air briefly before Clarissa sighed in annoyance, stepped foreward to intercept the wolf-and found the barrel of a second weapon shoved against her muzzle. Although her facial expression did not change, she did take a brief step back.

_A second weapon….really should have thought of that before acting. _

But on second thought, this proved that he was smart. And that meant that all her normal tactics could be dispensed with. She would drop the act. "What's your name?" she said as she stared down the sights at the wielder of the weapon. Dark eyes, somewhat unkempt fur. No identifiable markings or genetic tattoos, though the hand which held the weapon wavered at least once every few seconds. His gaze was locked solely on her, seemingly ignoring the bat at the 80 degree mark. Jaw was slack, posture tensed only slightly.

_He's definitely good._

"Somehow I don't exactly think you're the one to be giving orders. Especially since I'm the one holding the gun."

"Guns." She corrected, smirking.

A barely discernable twitch signified that he'd heard the quip."They call me Jared. But that's all that you need to know as in the next few seconds they're going to be dead."

'_They're?' If his origional target was Sinara, and he doesent intend to kill me immediately then… _

"Shiva…. _Fly!" _Clarissa suddenly found herself snapping as the hand in front of her shifted left and fired off a series of shots, the glowing trails of which split the darkness asunder even as the bat scrambled into action. The first and second bolts missed her, spanging off metal and durasteel as Shiva's legs flexed in preparation for flight. The third did not.

She hadn't even been able to divert Jared's aim because Clarissa had been so sure that his only priority had been her. Wasn't _she _the threat? She couldn't spare the glance behind her but knew that his aim had to have been true, she'd heard it hit. The bat wore no armor, not here. She was dead.

Dimly she heard a snarl of anguish and rage sing forth as Sinara reacted to the death of the other bat, even as the skirling cry of alarms shrieked through the air. He'd killed Shiva. Damned if the bat probably hadn't been playing matchmaker between her and Zachary since they'd met but the oddball had stayed with her even as the Jenny had spiraled down toward the sea.

He had to pay.

She acted on instinct. Dropping into a partial crouch Clarissa grabbed his gun hand at the upper arm and pulled foreward using her back as a pivot to sling him over her shoulder and onto the floor. His right hand weapon momentarily slipped from his grasp and in an instant Clarissa had planted a knee in his chest as her other hand pressed the left wrist into the ground.

More shots leapt from the projection lenses within the barrel as his hand fired reflexively into the darkness beyond.

"You're good. Didn't really think you'd be so stupid as to walk up on me with my gun drawn…thought all your attention would be on that broad but…guess I was wrong."

And then without warning, he spat derisively in her eye. Clarissa yelped in surprise, her eyes closing reflexively as her hand's pressure and her body's weight were released by a few degrees. It was enough.

In a single fluid upthrust of his arm he had forced her off his chest and in the seconds in which it took her to recover her balance he was on his feet and coming at her like a filing to a magnet. The gun hand swept up as she was still attempting to clear her streaming eyes and the shots that came caused her to stumble blindly to the left.

It was a trick.

A booted foot swept her leg out from beneath her and as she fell Clarissa felt something angular and mettalic slam into her nose just hard enough to cause pain to explode from the affected organ.

He was toying with her.

Suddenly he paused briefly and swore. Through the pain Clarissa smiled. It had worked, somehow Sinara had escaped into the pitch darkness of the repairpad's outer reaches.

"I really didn't want to have to go on a wild bat chase but well…I'd wager that these two ships will be worth far more than whatever time I'd lose in the search." He then looked down and smiled coldly. "And then of course, there's you. The young heroic female mercenary who stepped where she didn't belong thinking that her shit was gold bullion and instead found that it was in fact shit. Only a fool would approach someone with a loaded weapon and not expect trouble. And your friend is dead because of it."

Clarissa's eyes drifted over to the body and she felt her entire body clench in response.

"_No…" _

He stepped back and motioned for her to rise. "Get up, you pitiful excuse for a merc. You've taken all this trouble to annoy me, the least I can do is beat you good and proper."

She had risen to her feet and begun popping vertebrae in her neck, ending with her knuckles before turning to face him.

"One question before you 'beat me good and proper.' What exactly did you do to warrant threatening a member of the Vampyrum Spectrae? Surely you know that if Shiva hadn't killed you and you _somehow_ escaped the security teams here you'd have a division of colonial warships flying up your ass. Or rather…you _will_, given that you killed her in cold blood."

Clarissa's fists raised as her feet and posture slid into a defensive stance. Her smile was almost predatory as she continued, "I'd just _love _to see what inventive methods the Vampyrum Spectrae have for disposing of scum like you. Assuming that I don't end up completing the job myself."

The wolf's teeth were bared in a snarl as he tossed the firearm aside and barked, "Tell me did the shit genes you're exhibiting come from the male side of the family or was your entire bloodline one insipid impotent mess? Or did your dad just happen to get lucky and knock up the most beautiful bitch on the block or something?"

Jared's smirk became even more obnoxious as he saw the vixen's grin fade. He had gotten to her.

"Yeah…I guess you're right. He knocked up the most beautiful, most cultured, most brilliant fox he could find. He treated her like a goddess. And then they brought forth me. A demon." Clarissa's voice quavered slightly as she began to walk toward him, her stride slow, deliberate.

"Once you get beyond my exterior, you'll find that I'm anything but pretty." She waved him foreward.

"Come on…_try me._"

They were only a few feet apart now. She could smell his breath, see the hatred dancing behind his eyes. His next strike would be a killing blow, no mercy, no tricks. She was counting on it

He struck. Clarissa viewed his progress in slow motion, seeing his form, the matrix's systems follwing first musculature, then bone. Strength flowed through him.

Strength which she analyzed.

Her body moved as if in a daze. Arm extended. Palm flat.

Left foot shifted backward.

Right leg bent at the knee.

And she pushed foreward, meeting the blow with the gentlest touch of her palm. It was like hitting a brick wall, pain spiraled up his arm and the wolf suddenly felt something give in his hand…then his wrist…then his forearm.

"_Kinetic Rerversal!" _Clarissa growled as the arm went limp and the wolf's howl of agony split the air. Gently she pushed him backward and he was so overcome with pain that he fell like a stone to the floor. She was upon him in an instant.

He couldn't speak. Couldn't even move. Thinking had become impossible and he knew in a moment that he'd pissed his pants. Her eyes were magnetizing him to the floor with their anger and she was now pummeling him in the chest, the ribs the, lower gut. Jared thought he could hear ribs cracking from the raim of blows.

He screamed.

………

"_I broke the bones in your hand, wrist and forearm by reflecting the kenetic energy of your initial strike."_

The voice was calm.

"_I have just beaten you to within an inch of your life…"_

Soothing even…

"_Look at me…"_

A savage blow to the face…something loosed within the jaw, perhaps a tooth.

Jared managed to open one eye…and then wished he'd been born blind. He'd never seen anyone with such an expression of cold animalistic fury on their face…and the eyes.

They glowed with hellfire in their depths.

"_I'm your own personal demon Jared…sent to make you pay for killing her. Are you afraid?"_

He didn't need to reply, she could see it in his eyes, smell it oozing from him in waves, stronger than the stench of sweat or of urea. One hand loosed itself from his collar and hung, clawlike over his face. He watched in a sort of horrified fascination as pinpricks of blue energy lit the tips of her fingers, miniature arcs flitting across her palm. Like a crude sort of arc welder, he thought dimly as the heat from the blue sparks descended upon his face.

"_I'm going to send you to hell now…" _Her lips were at his ear. _"Don't worry…I'll join you soon enough."_

And it was as Clarissa was preparing to strike that Sinara emerged from the shadows to confront her.

"Clarissa…enough. Shiva is not dead." Her voice was level, but firm. The fire dimmed briefly in the vixen's eyes. Jared watched as the bat strode over and helped Clarissa to her feet, the fox seeming to grow instantly weary.

"A warrior with skills such as those you posess should not waste their gift on detritus like this wolf." The bat turned to look at him, derision in her voice. "Security will handle him." Jared turned away from her as the scream of airspeeder engines and the tramp of boots descended upon his surroundings.

For him there was nothing to do now but wait.

The end was near.

19

Page 19 of 19 Created By: Alexander Cole 


	39. Intermission

**(A/N) Never done one with the official aouther's note thingy so yeah here it goes. Wow...I've passed the 200 page mark and i'm tickled pink because of it. Thanks in large part to Tobias Umbra, Fuerstoss and a few other writers, I wouldent have gotten this far without you all. Enjoy, and please review. **

Intermission

"_I remember that Sinara called me a warrior. She was only half right. I fought, but not for any noble cause. I was fighting because I was angry. After all, the wolf had killed Shiva, the closest thing to a sister I'd ever had. And I would have done anything to make him pay. _

_They took me in and told me what happened. Only this time it was the truth. The truth was that Jared, a criminal had stolen one of their vessels, brought it in for repair, and when Sinara had exposed his crimes he'd been on the verge of tying up a loose end and coming away with two ships until we'd arrived. _

_Everything else was staged. _

_They told me that they could have disarmed him the moment he'd made his intentions known, but that they needed information to send back to their superiors. Information obtained through deceit. I was of course angry with both of them, but in their way they made me see logic._

_There were others who had watched me and were watching even now. Others who did not have the scruples that the Spectrum did and were all too willing to use the power I possessed for their own ends. The choice was simple. Let them hunt me, perhaps capture me and become (once again) a tool to be used and then discarded, or I could allow my abilities to be honed to a point where none could touch me._

_Naturally, I chose the latter._

_Clarissa._

On the night of their departure Clarissa and Zachary flew in a loose formation, canopies retracted and noses to the wind, savoring the sand-scoured smell of the cold desert air. They dipped and climbed, looped and chased each other lazily and for a brief instant they were somehow both teenagers, giddy with excitement and laughing as they hadn't in days. They needed it. Clarissa almost couldn't bear to tell him, to ruin the moment. But she had to.

When she told him, the playfulness drained away, and the soldier once again took up residence in his mind. For a while he was silent, occasionally opening his mouth as if to speak but no sound coming out. Their ships flew close enough that they could almost touch wingtips and she watched him struggle with the anger building within.

Taking a breath she began:

'Shiva didn't mean to put me in danger back there, Zachary. Don't be too hard on..."

"_-Be too hard on her, she almost got you killed for fuck's sake!" _Through the line rang the _thunk_ of a fist slamming into a console and the anger in his voice caused her to flinch as if she'd been slapped. Clarissa closed her eyes, swallowed and flexed her fingers.

"They were in control the entire time-"

"_That's bullshit Clarissa and you know it. Don't you dare let your fear of losing her friendship warp your own judgment."_

Her head executed a slow, mechanical turn to face him, eyes blinking from the wind before she spoke, her words deliberate and measured.

"It's not bullshit because I believe them."

It was this that caused Zachary's thin measure of restraint to snap, and the force behind his words seemed to make the very air between them tremble when he voiced them.

"_ARE YOU THAT __BLIND? __ Are you really that desperate to believe that someone out there knows what you're going through other than us, that someone can HELP you that you'll throw all reason to the wind? _

_That entire clusterfuck was one big equation of chance and no matter how much they amy have assured you, or believed it themselves, believed that at any moment they could have killed him if things went south, believed that they were in control they were wrong. You want to know why?"_

His voice dropped to dead calm, and somehow this was even more powerful than his full force roar had been.

"What if, after all that anger your powers hadn't activated? What if he'd fired at Sinara or Shiva and they didn't deflect the shot? " His voice dropped and became deadly serious.

"_What if he'd shot you as soon as you'd arrived?_" The vixen remained silent on the other end of the line.

"The end result would be that I'd be carrying a corpse back up to the surface. All for chance. So tell me Clarissa, should I be angry at her, at them for _using_ you like that?! Should I?"

By the time he'd seen the head snap away from him he'd known he'd said too much. Before he realized it she'd slid her canopy closed and the Spartan's afterburners left their heat haze shimmering in the ship's wake.

He stared at it, watched her leave him.

And he felt pain.

……………….

"Just thought I'd tidy up a bit…stuff was everywhere so…" Zachary's voice trailed off as he stared at Clarissa who stood in the yellow swatch of light projecting from the suite's bathroom, her still dripping body wrapped in a towel, staring at him.

There was a muffled thud as Zachary dropped the pile of folded clothes on the bed and brought a hand to pinch the bridge of his muzzle. For a moment both were silent. Then-

"Zachary-"

"I shouldn't have intruded, I'll let myself out." He began walking for the door.

"_Zachary you were right."_

He stopped, turned to face her.

"I was desperate. I've _been_ desperate. Going so long without someone to, talk to, confide in has been very hard to do. And I think that I was willing to do anything to keep it, keep her. Even lie to myself. What they did was dangerous, and yes I could have died. But if only you knew the _reasoning_ behind it, if only you knew what was at stake you might see things differently."

"Then _tell me._ Tell me something, anything. Don't leave me in the dark."

He closed the gap between them, and saw her tighten the towel reflexively around her body. Water stood out on her fur, and he saw from her movements that her teeth were chattering from the cold. A hand reached out to gently stroke her cheek and the fox released a sigh as she responded involuntarily to his touch.

"_Please."_

She drew a shaky breath.

"Entire planets are at risk if I don't. do this."

"At risk from you?"

"Yes."

He carefully wound his arms about her midsection and buried his nose in the fur at the nape of her neck.

"At risk from a fox who's soaked to the bone, wrapped in a bath towl and yet still stunning after having been snapped at by her boyfriend?"

She couldn't help smiling as he trailed kisses up her throat. "I look stunning?"

"You look so attractive when you're wet."

Clarissa was unable to keep the laughter from her voice as she retreated into the bathroom, grabbing a set of pajama bottoms and a shirt from the pile of clean garments he'd set down.

"You're going to find yourself taking a _cold_ shower if you don't stop that. I swear you've got the most perverted mind…"

She'd barely slipped into her sleepwear when she saw him silently slip in behind her and place his hands on her hips.

"I was going to keep this a secret, for after the conference but seeing as you'll be leaving soon…I had something special planned for us."

"Do you?" It was all she could say, for the feeling of his breath on her neck somehow made her mind all fuzzy.

"An outing of sorts, formal, high class that sort of thing."

" A mercenary _and_ a gentleman? A combination I wouldent have expected in this day and age." She turned round to face him, and the dog was treated to the pleasant sensation of her tail winding it's way around his leg.

He looked down in amusement "I just love how subtle you can-" Suddenly she pulled him against her, allowing his weight to press her against the bathroom sink, and she was kissing him, hard, hands massaging his arms and his chest and glorying in the texture of his fur. She felt so _alive_, so gloriously and completely alive, like when she'd flown her first starship or smelled her first flower.

Like when they'd kissed amidst the blowing sands of the desert.

It seemed that they'd been this way for hours, though in reality it was a few seconds before she gently pushed him away, and the warmth of his body coupled with the barely audible rumble of pleasure at the back of his throat almost made her want to embrace him again, feel his strength his _need-_

_There was the feeling of something blunt and probing knifing it's way deep into her pelvis. It hurt. It had hurt the first time and it hurt now. It would always hurt._

The memory was gone in an instant, but a brief stab of pain from her hips caused her to flinch unconsciously. She had wanted him not to see it, had not wanted to ruin the moment. But he had.

"What…?"

"I…remembered things. Even when I repress them my body sometimes it-"

He shushed her, pressing a hand to her mouth. "I know." A brief growl quivered at the back of his throat before he spoke. "God…what did they do to you? I need to know so that I can find the bastards and make them pay."

She was so touched by this statement, that against her better judgement she took Zachary's head in her hands and pressed a kiss into his forehead. As she feathered her fingers over the peaked ears she whispered, _"I love you."_

"I should go I guess." Midway to the door he stopped and turned back to face her.

"How long will you be gone? Days…weeks?"

Clarissa shrugged. "I don't rightly know…maybe four weeks? Perhaps longer?"

"Location?"

"I wouldent be able to tell you that if I knew it. I need you to trust me on this. I know what I'm doing."

He sighed in defeat.

"Oh and talk to Shiva tomorrow morning, she's still pretty shook up over the whole thing. One thing I hate is seeng her upset and she's _ never _upset."

"I will."

………….

The next day the team spent conferring with security specialists from the USAC (United Species Alliance Council) and the PCD (Pydorian Civil Defense) about the possible hazards which would come hand in hand when disarmament negotiations between rival planets were to take place. They discussed floor plans and evacuation routes, the possibility of bomb threats and armed intrusion, even the use of sleeper agents within the crowd or camera crew.

It was all thoroughly boring and given the amount of data they were given to sift through it was a small miracle that Shiva and Clarissa even happened to meet on one of the rooftop balconies at sunset to speak with each other. The vixen and the bat had both decided that their eyes could not take one more moment of staring at computer screens and running background checks on personnel.

Thus they met.

Shiva still donned her mercenary gear, the armor more prominent this time and colored jet black. Clarissa however had chosen to slip on jeans and a t-shirt as soon as she'd reached her room.

At first Shiva could not meet the vixen's eyes.

"Clarissa I…don't know what I can say that could possibly smooth this over, and I don't think anything can. I used you and trust me, from the moment I started, I hated myself thinking of how you would react, first during the fight and then now.

I know you're angry at me, and if you want to back out I'll take the blame for it. I'm sure that if you've managed to stay hidden for this long, not a soul will put a finger on you, no matter what Sinara said."

She didn't sound at all sure.

"I heard what happened with you two on the COMS when I was cycling though the bands, and Zachary's right that I shouldn't have left your life up to chance. I just-"

The bat paused for an intake of breath.

"There's so much I want to show you. About yourself, about me and where I come from. This is an opportunity that is as expansive as the cosmos itself." She finally looked up, and Clarissa could see the expectation of rejection, of being reviled. But there was also hope.

"I'd love to go with you. I just want one thing."

"Name it."

"Let me send a text when I arrive. A few lines that's all, just to let him know I'm safe."

"Done."

A devilish grin suddenly spread over Clarissa's face as she swept her gaze toward the ground.

"Get out that damn armor and into some swimwear. Wanna grab Zachary and Lou and see how many heads we can turn?"

Shiva was stone faced. "I'm insulted you even asked me that question."

They had to purchase swimsuits first, none of them had seen a pool in so long that it was a rather interesting experience for all of them. Clarissa of course decided upon a white topped and green bottomed two piece, skimpy enough to make any male watching envious.

Shiva, in an attempt to one up her, purchased a thong. As they walked out the store and down the three blocks to the pool section Lou and Zachary, who were behind the two plainly heard Shiva say, "My mother, if she saw me in this would rip my wings off, I shit you not."

"So she got the rebellious streak in the family eh?" the leopard said as he shot a smile at a nicely built ocelot who sidled past him with a flick of her tail and a trilling miaow.

"How many bats have you seen in your lifetime?" Zachary asked.

"Three."

"There's my point, all of em are like her, deviants. Personally I think it's the beginning of a mass exodus from wherever they're from. A species can't remain boxed in forever and expect to really prosper. Some shit's gotta change, and bats like her are the spear thrust of that movement. "

As they passed the fence surrounding the first of the three Olympic sized pools, Lou caught another glimpse of that same fetching feline and another equally attractive Siamese cat fully stretched out on respective lounge chairs near the edges of the pool. Upon seeing their approach both of them looked at the two mercenaries and giggled softly to each other.

"I think I've got a mind to do a few _spear thrusts_ of my own, now if you'll excuse me…"

Zachary smiled, and as Clarissa slipped back to walk alongside him, he contemplated the visual feast which lay ahead. This night would be quite interesting.

……………

The pair _did _turn heads, and not only males. Some of the female patrons at the resorts put down books or datapads to catch glances as the pair walked past their positons after leaving the changing room. The German Shepherd quietly believed that Clarissa was enjoying the attention that was being paid to the both of them, and Shiva doubly so, though she kept the stoic almost haughty manner of her species at the forefront, entertaining few attempts at side talk or banter. One of the few patrons she did speak with was a flying fox, around a decade younger than her and decidedly awestruck by her appearance. Of him Shiva later said,

"He was actually cute and the reason I even let him get anywhere was that he just came up and talked to me. Sure he found me attractive but he was shy and found me of interest. Honestly I wish half the males out there were that perceptive…"

Clarissa learned that they had made love in Shiva's suite not log after that. Casual sexual friendships amongst bats were common practice, and given that she was not yet tied down were not frowned upon. And given that she could control her reproductive systems at will, "There was no reason not to allow that…void within to truly appreciate some of his species more interesting qualities."

Zachary and Clarissa remained outside for hours, chatting, swimming in the pool, lounging in the hot tub, and the fox knew that he was enjoying every single envious look being sent at her by the assorted canines, avians and other species that surveyed them. She also knew that he would willingly deck anyone who so much as laid a hand on her person and she took comfort in that.

The next day, they spent preparing for the disarmament talks that were to take place that night, and which they were to assist in the security of. All day PCD hovercraft and speeders could be seen patrolling the area, setting up traffic monitoring stations in the air while black suited agents patrolled the grounds and buildings.

The group polished and calibrated their weaponry, injected fresh impact gel into their armor and used a small advance payment to purchase new blood red uniforms and military looking communication rigs to complete the effect.

Clarissa had just finished strapping her Omnicuff onto her left arm after completing the synchronization procedure with her Spartan's sensor grid when Zachary came in and informed her that they had to be in the southern 17th floor conference building in the next hour. He said this as she had begun slinging her fully fueled jetpack onto her back.

"Why are you bringing that, we're going to be indoors the entire time."

"Remember that old ass film, Black Hawk Down where those soldiers are checking out and one of the guys doesent bring a set of night vision specs and a canteen of water all because they thought they'd be back in a half hour?"

"Yeah, that half hour mission lasted two days and had them fighting a legion of militia. Expect the unexpected. "

Clarissa grinned as the pair headed toward the turbolift. "Besides I'm going for the whole Jango Fett look."

They both laughed.

………………

He remembered the sensation as being as if someone had taken two fingers and lightly pressed them against the back of his head. If things had been different, perhaps he would have looked over his shoulder to see who had touched him-but then there was only the wall.

And a millisecond later _that_ seemed trivial because from thin air he saw an amber pulse of light materialize in front of the keynote speaker's head. Everyone saw it, along with the subsequent splatter of blood against the curtains behind.

_A sniper. _He thought as the body of the cheetah fell, as the news crews scuttled backward in horror and revulsion, _still_ filming despite the danger.

_A sniper that can shoot through walls._

He was running for the stage now, his request for a situation report a harsh bark as he brought his F-9 Series SMG to briefly scan the audience, which had now begun surging for the exit. Shiva and Lou had already begun attempting to regain control, snapping orders at the civilians and the first slightly more tame procession had begun to form near the bat's position.

Clarissa….

He stared.

She was standing there, eyes narrowed, focusing her attention on him, no, on something behind him, _behind_ the wall. He saw a stun pistol drawn from a holster, snapping up to aim- and then a brief spike of pain in his forehead.

She had shot him.

As he fell, he saw Shiva and Lou looking at the vixen in consternation, and the leopard's firearm rose to intercept this newfound threat. If he could have spoken, he would have told him not to shoot her- but he couldn't. He crumpled to the floor at the same instant that the whining scream of jetpack engines assaulted his ears, followed by a deafening explosion and a crackle of energy.

Dust and the acrid smell of exhaust filled his nose, along with the barest whiff of her scent. And then his world went dark.


	40. In Rememberence of Tara

Page 10 of 10 Tenth Circle:

Created By: Alexander Cole

**_Sorry that it took me so long to get this one out guys, blame writers block and vacation. I apologize to some if the chase scene wasn't as glitzy as it should have been, it's a combination of bad placing and the fact that a bomber and traffic are not maneuverability and high speed making things....yeah._**

**_Enjoy! (And review)_**

In Remembrance of Tara

_I have participated in a total of five or so official asassinations thus far in my career as a mercenary. Something that you learn quickly is that it's not completely about death. It's about the impact of that death. So sometimes it's in a public place, and sometimes other people, civilians mostly have to die. It's usually not a lot but just enough to produce the required result. Fear. Confusion. And despair. _

_-Clarissa_

In retrospect the moment the shot flew overhead they _all_ should have ducked. But as the bolt of radiation had been calibrated to materialize a hair's width in front of it's target, none of them perceived the lightning quick forward motion signifying that it was a _shot_ and realized that it was a sniper.

This was now a moot point. Panic had set it's teeth into the entire audience and as Shiva and Lou saw the anthros and humans surging toward them in a great roiling mass of flesh the temptation to fire a burst over their heads to halt their advance was immense. But more fear would not help matters at all.

Thus they found themselves shouting directions at panic-stricken civilians and funneling the members of the rabble nearest to them toward the emergency exits. Zachary, along with a few other team leaders had begun making his way toward the stage, elbowing his way through the crowd. It was at this point that Shiva saw Clarissa staring intently at a section of the wall directly behind where Zachary had stood. A red flag popped up in the bat's brain and she cast out sound, ears swiveling briefly. Nothing. _Then what is she sensing?_

She watched as the fox's eyes narrowed briefly before widening in a moment of sudden realization and before any of them could react her stun pistol was up and the fox had planted a dully glowing bolt in the German Shepherd's shoulder. Shiva's brain was still in the midst of processing the image of his form crumpling to the floor when she heard the scream of jet pack engines and saw Clarissa in a full sprint launch herself off the back of a seat and flash over their heads, a hand outstretched.

The crowd flowed around her, momentarily stunned. She was silent as well, as much frozen as any of them. She knew that she and the leopard were both wondering the same thing:

_Why did she shoot him?_

Shiva's eyes followed her overhead.

_Please dear god let there be a reason._

And then the wall to the left of them exploded inward. As Shiva was yanked forward by the crushing overpressure of the blast she caught a glimpse of a blue energy field struggling to hold back a conflagration of fire and shrapnel that churned within it's depths. Her ears sang with pain as she collided with the bystanders nearest the blast. Slightly dazed and upside down she watched as Clarissa's field flickered once, twice and finally disintegrated in a spray of arcing blue energy as a fifth explosion overwhelmed her. Screams rose up anew as molten shrapnel flared outward and struck those below. Shiva felt a brief wash of pain as the heat seared through her armor but miraculously was untouched.

Gathering herself up the bat looked around. There would be wounded, and quite probably dead. But if not for Clarissa it would have been worse. Shiva scanned the assemblage briefly for the fox and found her a few feet back, sprawled over a row of seats. Flying over she put a hand on the fox's shoulder, half expecting her to be once again unconscious, as she usually was after such a heavy expenditure of energy but miraculously at Shiva's touch the fox released a weary growl and forced herself to her feet before staggering toward the gaping hole.

The cool air kissed her face as her gaze swept downward and she saw the effect of kinetically shielded antipersonnel rounds on civilian vehicles. The fire from the wreckage was spread roughly across three lanes below and the lights of PCD emergency vehicles framed her face as she stared across the expanse, searching. Sensing Shiva behind her the fox wearily croaked:

"Zachary…is he…?"

Shiva glanced backward and saw him beginning to rise to his feet cracking his neck sharply and checking the action on his rifle. She smiled and answered,

"Yes."

Then-

"Clarissa, what the hell just happened back there? How did you know that those things were-?"

The fox held up a hand for silence. "I'll explain when there's time Shiva, I-!"

It was then that she saw it.

The hovercraft was parked at a side dock on a building across the street. It was a large model a proud metallic green except for a few red markings near the thrust ports. A series of strange protrusions following the length of the underbelly and a blister on the front, weaponry perhaps. And as Clarissa surreptitiously scanned it with her Omnicuff and the Matrix she realized that its line of sight for the conference had been perfect.

It was moving.

Clarissa's hands flew across the Omnicuff's screen and she heard the distant howl of her Spartan's engines as the ship lifted off from a nearby rooftop pad and prepared to swoop in beneath her. The ship appeared, engines roaring, running lights ablaze as its canopy slid open to allow her access. Springing across the bomber's wing she dropped down into the cockpit as the hovercraft took off like a shot down the sky-lane, and was gunning after it in an instant.

The chase had begun.

…………………

The 'wingspan of the average V-57 Spartan warcraft is approximately 11.5 feet, it's length from cockpit to tail being 12 feet exactly. After acquiring the ship, extensive modifications were preformed to allow for increased maneuverability, speed, and firepower when in combat. However, the net effect of most of these upgrades could only be felt when the ship neared its standard operational speed of around 700 miles an hour.

Given that the standard speed of traffic on Pydoria was a rather sedate 45 mph in the city and closer to 80 in the more open regions, and that the width of the standard skylanes ranged from 80 to 100 feet it was quite possible to see where the trouble began the moment Clarissa placed her hand on the throttle.

And again, this was without traffic.

This explained why the fox was presently stuck in gridlock up to her eyeballs, watching as her prize slipped nimbly through the milling ships around it and was out of view in an instant. All she'd been able to do was hastily snap out a description to the dispatcher over the encrypted line, telling him to send whatever he could after a metallic green Pemtec HK24 and to haul ass while he was at it.

Now she was rising from the fray, the fact that her fighter's shields were shoving civilian craft out of her upward path not bothering her in the slightest. As she cleared the rooftop of a 17-story apartment complex she spotted a rapidly progressing ripple in the traffic far ahead.

"Zachary, I want an update on those speeders they were supposed to have deployed…." She stared out into the distance, and then off to the left slightly, saw it. A broad expanse of tarmac ked earth with the irregular shapes of buildings somewhere within.

The Fulcra 1 spaceport.

"Alert Fulcra one that we have an inbound hostile craft and that we want an immediate lockdown of those landing pads, nothing gets in or out. And have them get route 34 cleared. I think I have an idea…"

………………

It was flying directly behind her, bold as brass, finally gaining after having broken through a knot of traffic at the primarily cleared entrance to route 34. The red headed young woman who piloted the vessel risked a look at the rear scanner again and she knew a proximity alert would soon ensue.

The pilot of the ship had to be an idiot, flying through the mess that Tara had created instead of above it where she would have had the advantage and the PCD forces that attempted to follow her weren't much of a problem either. After the first antitank rounds had wrecked two of their cruisers they'd hung back, wary of the Pemtec's fire. Despite the danger the assassin grinned, not many cargo vehicles mounted an energy core strong enough to support a side mounted Phased particle displacement cannon, oversized engines an advanced targeting array and a shield emitter that rendered nonmilitary weaponry useless.

Still, she had to wonder how she'd been found out. The last thing she'd expected upon sending those rounds barreling into the wall was a force field of some sort being _held_ in place by an arctic fox. It had been as if she'd somehow _seen _the undetectable energy bleed off as the round went through the traffic and the head of the mercenary nearest the window and materialized in front of it's quarry.

She shook her head. That was of course, impossible. Only seventeen examples of that weapon even existed and they were rarely used unless the bidding was high and the risk was considerable.

Looking at the scanners again she saw the bomber's pilot give a cheery wave before firing a single round within inches of her shields. Tara looked at the fox with contempt, if she thought it was going to be so simple to stop her then it would definitely be her funeral. And with that she flicked her engines to full burn and pulled a switch.

…………

Clarissa blinked. She'd just seen the Pemtec shatter what she'd thought to be the normal speed cap for a craft that size and was wondering what engines the damn thing sported when the rear doors sprang open. She glimpsed a glistening barrel and targeting optics along with the pilot's red hair, gray eyes and an upturned middle finger before four of those nasty kinetically shielded rounds came charging at her ship. She only had time to brace herself before the impact hit.

Immediately her shields dropped by a third and she peeled off to the far left of the craft to avoid more damage. She'd just engaged the recharge cycle when four black orbs tumbled from the hovercraft's rear, bounced once on the pavement and then began rising up and curving around to meet her.

Engaging her ship's Z Axis Rotation she turned round as she flew, her scanners picking up the signatures of Firelord HK droids unfolding their weaponry and powering up their targeting arrays.

A veritable stream of laserfire and missiles sent Clarissa flying for her life until her fighter's superior engines allowed her to easily outstrip the machines which retreated toward the parent vehicle. The second her shields fully engaged, she went on the offensive and send dummy missiles and twin pulse cannon fire streaking ahead of and around the HK-24 which swerved wildly to avoid the onslaught.

The Firelords reengaged her, this time hammering her with vigor but departing with their numbers reduced one of her missiles having collapsed it's shields and fatally damaged it's positronic network. After coming around for another pass, again raking the area with fire she allowed the droids to drive her off until she was out of view. Then Clarissa stood the ship on its tail and climbed a few hundred feet, looping over gradually until she had the Pemtec in her scanner's locking window. With the PCD patrol craft closing in on its position the Pemtec had made it's way to a small entrance bay on the south side of the facility. Clarissa shoved the throttle to full and as she flew, began entering in a complex series of commands into her console's keypad. By the time her altitude had dropped to 200 feet, the canopy had retracted and the ship flew on automatic, speed slowing further and further as she neared her target.

The ground rushed up at her as the ship cleared the laser fence in an instant, and it was then that she heard the chime of the missile lock and pressed the initialization switch for the final stage of her plan. In a single instant the craft decelerated from it's already drastically reduced flight speed to a full stop, transferred momentum ejecting her like a sling from a stone.

Still strapped to her back, the jetpack flared to life as she flew through the air, feet oriented toward the door to the cargo doors as missiles streaked from the Spartan and blew the remaining droids to bits. The jetpack screamed as she bled airspeed even further, followed by the brief squeal of boots meeting pavement before the fox slid prone beneath the closing bay door as the lights of incoming patrol craft winked behind her.

The ambient light levels were dim, and in the gloom Clarissa could make out the shapes of at least twenty odd vehicles in the indoor garage. Hiding spaces were everywhere. There was one vehicle just ahead, which was halfway out of its grid markings on the tarmac.

_That's the target vehicle…where's the pilot?_

Clarissa flicked her Omnicuff to scan the immediate area and saw a point a few yards away flicker into being on the device's small screen. The fox quickly located an empty storage box near the entrance and placed her jetpack inside it to allow for extra mobility, then hefted her assault weapon and began progressing slowly toward the target.

And suddenly, her quarry stepped out from cover. The human was young, a redheaded female with a slim build and a short cut that allowed the hair to just frame her shoulders. The body armor she wore along with the civilian clothes told her that she hadn't been expecting an engagement at all, much less a sprawling chase through the streets of Pydoria.

She sported two 9mm handguns.

For a moment the pair just stood there, staring at each other even as the PCD hovervheicles and the tramping of boots sounded outside.

"So you're like me then. You're a survivor. An equal."

The human shrugged noncommittally and cast a glance at the exit behind the fox.

"You're not going out that way. There's only two ways you'll come out of here, with me, in PCD custody whilst being escorted by me or in a body bag."

"That's three."

Clarissa smirked. "So you can count. Whoopee." Her tone became serious again.

"I don't want to have to kill you, I've seen enough death for one day."

The young woman suddenly made a move to the left and Clarissa sent a shot into the floor directly in front of her path. "Don't you dare move. If we get into a gun battle I'll win and you'll probably die."

"You're pretty damn cocky, you know that? And what, like I'm not gonna get the death sentence for the shit I pulled? You think there's a better way out of this?" Her voice had become louder now and the fox saw her right gun shaking slightly in her grip, fatigue or nervousness, she couldn't be sure.

But the young woman smelled at that moment like fear.

_PMC Three come in do you copy, we have boots on the ground and ready to move in for capture, do you require-_

_No, I've got this, give me fifteen minutes. _the fox snapped into the comlink, refusing to take her eyes off the quarry.

"Tara." The young woman suddenly said.

"What?"

"My name is Tara- and I want you to kill me."

Clarissa's ears went flat in confusion as the human continued. "I swore I would always choose my own way out, that I'd die when I wanted to, that it would be my _choice. _I'm not _going _to prison to die by the courts and by public defender; I want to choose my last stand. And it's going to be here." Her eyes were fierce as she started to move toward her.

The fox actually backed up a step as the human settled into a slow jog, weapons still raised, trembling visibly now.

"Tara…"

She was running.

"_Tara, don't-"_

A shot bucked from the left-hand gun, whistling past Clarissa's ear.

The fox fired.

_Shots fired, repeat, shots fired all units converge, I repeat all units converge._

The message resounded dully in her ear as she knelt beside the woman and pressed a finger to her neck, feeling for a pulse. She didn't know why she did it, Tara had wanted to die, to have some shred of control during the last few seconds of her life. Why not respect the wishes of her fellow adversary?

There was a pulse.

Hands grabbed the fox's shirt and pulled downward, ensuring that her last words would be heard.

"_Side pocket…there's a data chip. Take it. The rabbit hole is much deeper than you might think fox. Deeper than this. Than me. To them I'm nothing, something already faded. But the truth should be seen. Like a candle in the darkness. Small. Bright. Burning…"_

And then she was dead.

As the PCD forces swarmed through the door and removed the body, she clutched the chip in her hand and forced herself not to cry. Not to think. Not to see the body as it was black bagged, and taken away from view.

…………

The Pydorian News Network labeled the event as a terrorist act committed by one of the rival factions, aimed at destabilizing relations between the warring planets and escalating the conflict once again. There was footage of the blast from multiple angles as well as of Clarissa's ship blazing a trail after it's quarry. Talks, interviews with eyewitnesses, EMT's and survivors.

Bullshit.

The truth, Clarissa mused, as she turned her attention back to the data scrolling across the laptop's screen, while similar, painted a different picture of the events which had taken place, one that was much darker than the one presented on the holoscreen.

It was quite simple really.

From the beginning of the Outer Rim Veldt War Nero Arms Complex had maintained a vested intrest in the conflict mainly because it was responsible for keeping a constant stream of weaponry, fighters, frigates and ammunition flowing inward. And that stream would cease once the conflict ended. Thus it was decided to keep it going as long as it would last.

All that was required was a skilled mercenary, a retrofitted cargo van, four droids, an illegal weapon and voila- a win win situation. If the mission had been a success, then the blame would have been placed on the opposing faction and no evidence would have been found. If the mission had failed, then she would either die in pursuit, during capture or in court, and again when branded as the knife-edge of the faction that had perpetrated this heinous crime. Clarissa knew that the body would be made to disappear, the wreckage of the droids would be swept away, and that sooner or later the Pemtec and it's contents would disappear from the PCD holding facility never to be seen again.

Behind her Zachary slept in her suite's bedroom, still clothed and covered in the grime from the day's mission, and she looked at him. The information was there, tangible, and yet they could do nothing with it. The city had overpaid them significantly and had refrained from asking exactly _how _Clarissa had made a shield spring from her fingertips. If they brought this information to the forefront…it would all go wrong.

"_So Tara, what use is the truth in the end?"_

Clarissa whispered aloud, entering a series of commands into the laptop before shutting the lid.

As she slid into bed she realized that regarding this matter, she would never know. Long after the fox had fallen asleep with an arm draped across her lover's chest the laptop continued to display the message it would show when reopened the following morning- that all traces of data had been purged from the chip.

It was ready for use.

10

Page 10 of 10 Created By: Alexander Cole


	41. Final Goodbyes

**Alright people I realize that this chapter is short, but there is a reason for it. I rarely get emotional when writing or reading my own work but this one really did feel like a knife in the gut to read aloud and to write. I simply could not place a section involving the first date between Zachary and Clarissa directly after this, the emotional contrast would be far too off putting. And since the coupling of my antagonists has been for me much more gratifying than that of my protagonists in a way, I thought that they should be given thier own section. **

_Final Goodbyes_

_She is a heartbreak wrapped in dark chocolate, like good wine; hot in the throat and burning like fire on it's way down._

Zenia had long ago given up on the notion of sleep, and simply stared at her lover's form as she slept, the rabbit's black furred body wreathed in the thin sheets covering the bed.

Rose was beautiful. There was no escaping that notion. And ever since she'd spoken to the assemblage, and at the end realized what she had become; what her ambitions would ultimately lead to, Zenia had found herself painfully conscious of just how precious the rabbit was to her.

Even watching her sleep, a simple, routine act brought such feelings of desire, love and fear to the surface that it was all she could do to keep her normally ordered mind from overloading. Zenia found herself mesmerized by the rabbit's breasts, her eyes following a thin-chained sapphire pendant as it wound between them, the necklace's jeweled tip resting on the back of a delicate hand.

Occasionally the rabbit would stir in her sleep, murmuring gently, an ear would twitch, or fingers would flex, and Zenia found herself entranced by these movements. And also horrified by herself.

_I almost struck her._

Shame washed over her, and the feline turned away in utter self loathing. She didn't even deserve to be in the same room with her. Suddenly she turned back, to see two sleep clouded black eyes searching for her face in the darkness.

The gentlest of smiles formed on the rabbit's mouth as she reached out to stroke the feline's face.

"What's wrong?"

"Can't sleep."

Zenia felt an almost painful shock of sensation as the rabbit's fingertips brushed against her cheek, followed almost immediately by a wave of heat spiraling up from the depths of her pelvis and tinged with desire so strong that she shuddered imperceptibly. She found herself acting on impulse, lips parting as her hands captured Rose's face to bring her in for a kiss.

Their subsequent lovemaking was at once tender and frenzied, with partially closed eyes and skin rendered hypersensitive to the caresses , nibbles and kisses that they bestowed upon each other. Perhaps if she had forced her mind above the pleasure, above the heat localized in Zenia's fingertips as they sought purchase on her hips and her rear while the feline's tongue did something that had to be illegal, Rose might have somehow sensed that the feline was making love to her as if this time might be their last.

She never did.

In the end they lay pressed to each other, hearts pounding and bodies heavy with exhaustion. Slowly Zenia watched as the rabbit began to fall asleep facing her, the eyes closing by degrees, her breath becoming just a gentle breeze on her palm.

As the feline held her, she prayed.

Prayed that Rose might somehow live to be with her again, that they could remain together until their deaths.

But in these trying times the gods rarely answer the pleas of mortals.

………………...

_Hands, shaking._

_The fingertips are cold, the fur of my palms suffused with sweat. Fear reigns supreme and for the first time in recent memory I am weak, powerless despite all my stolen assets, despite the thousands of guards and the hundreds of warships at my command._

_Powerless, because Rose will have departed within the next five minutes._

"Rose…"

_She's looking at me and I can tell that she sees it. That look of desperation which I can't hide. I know she sees it. I know that __**they**__ see it, the crew, every one of them are aware of it. _

_They've never seen me like this. I've never seen me like this._

"I need you to promise me something."

"Anything."

_She is resplendent in her flight suit, and I want to capture her in that moment, a living photograph, perfect and ageless. The voice flowing like honey, earthy and piercingly sweet to my ears. _

"Promise me that you will come back."

_She seems stunned, as if the very notion of returning was forigen until that instant, an afterthought at best . But really it is the earnestness in my voice, the fear in every syllable that stays her path. _

"Of course. Of course I will. Zenia-" _I can't stop myself._

"_I need you to stay alive. Whatever happens._"

_My voice is desperate, pleading. The voice of a child. And the fear has passed to her, fear for me, because she senses the deep and terrible knowledge which has lain upon my shoulders seemingly for an eternity._

_But I do not want her last memory of me to be like this. And so I kiss her, clasping her face in my palms, threading my tongue around her own. I back her against the Carson's hull and run my hands down her torso one last time, inhale her scent one more time. And then I push against her gently, her hands sliding along my arms as we part. _

_They're all staring at me. At us. _

"Go." _I tell her._

_There are tears in her eyes._

"_Go."_

_And there are tears in mine as well. _

_She departs, I turn away. And that is it._

It would be the last time she saw Rose alive


	42. A Night of thier Own

A Night of their Own

The fox was devastatingly beautiful.

_If lust is a sin then dear god strike me down for I am in this moment rendered guilty in thine eyes._

Part of him wondered if what he was thinking was even scripture. The rest of him simply didn't care.

The cocktail dress she wore was involved in a sinfully intimate relationship with every curve of her body, worshipping her legs, accentuating the unconscious sway of her hips and the movement of her torso in a way that teased the eye and recklessly dared the gaze of any male _not_ to follow her. Her coat was the purest shade of white he had ever seen and the tail fanned out behind her like a flurry of snow.

The neckline plunged between her breasts, giving the viewer (thank the gods that it was him) just the barest hint of what lay beneath the infinitesimally thin layers of cloth concealing her body.

It was a struggle not to imagine her naked.

His gaze slid down the black hued fabric framing her long legs and only now did he register the elegantly crafted heels enclosing her feet. Everything that he had found attractive in her previously now seemed to glimmer anew.

As she continued to walk toward him, deliberation in every step, her smile broke into a sudden giggle of laughter and he realized that he _had_ indeed said the dreaded phrase aloud. He was mortified, but possessed the good grace to keep his expression stable.

"So…how do I look?"

The vixen had drifted closer now, and he could smell a light, airy sort of perfume, citrus perhaps wafting from her neck.

"_Zachary?"_

"You look like an angel. An angel in a black dress."

Clarissa found herself momentarily stunned by the solemnity of the statement and simply stared at him, the laughter in her eyes now replaced by shock.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked, startled at his consort's violent reaction to his words.

" You said what you felt, and it was perfect." She linked her hand with his as a black luxury hovercraft slid into view, doors opening wide to admit entry to the pair.

And they departed.

……………………

"This is the first time I've worn a dress in nine years. Did you know that?"

Zachary lifted his glass of wine from the hardwood tabletop and examined the contents. Through the deep ochre red of the liquid he perceived the restaurant's interior and it's patrons in a miasma the color of arterial blood. Looking up at his consort the German Shepherd replied:

"You carry yourself as if you've done it for a lifetime." Clarissa smiled gently in response.

"You can thank Shiva for the outfit choice and many of the finer accoutrements. I really didn't know what I was going to do, but she just stepped forward. Paid out of pocket for the dress, heels and perfume, said there was no need to repay her. She just wanted us to have a night of our own together."

"Hell of a gift." Zachary said, eyebrows jumping in response as he peered at the holographic menu that floated inches away from his muzzle.

"She gifted me with more than clothes."

The canine's dark furred hands flipped palm upward as he bade her to continue.

"Imagine rejecting your femininity for years because you came from a place in which having child bearing hips and full breasts meant that every second of your existence would be devoted to the most base desecration of your body. When I was in the District all I knew was pain. And when I came out I unconsciously knew that being a female was a direct link to that pain, so I simply tried to _repress_ it." The vixen's gaze softened as she looked up from the tabletop and into his eyes.

"And then you came along, and you made me want those things I'd been afraid of." She was looking at him with such nail biting intensity that he hardly noticed when his food arrived, followed almost immediately by her requested dish.

"So I guess this is your way of rebelling then?"

Clarissa's fork paused halfway to her mouth, a morsel of veal poised and steaming on its gleaming tines. "What do you mean?"

"Well…look at yourself. What you're wearing flies in the face of everything that you were forced to believe. The dress, the heels, the perfume…everything you're wearing is a celebration of the female essence, it affirms that yes you are a female fox and not just _a _vixen but also _the_ vixen. You're reasserting for me and for yourself that you're not still chained to the past and that you can rise above it. "

Clarissa's hand dipped in momentary surprise before lifting once again to ferry the fork to her mouth.

"A silent rebellion if you will. And I was too blind to see it myself, Shiva was the one who told me the basics of what the dress and everything really _meant_. God, if she hadn't stepped in I don't know what I'd be wearing, probably jeans and fucking sneakers. And it's not as if this one night is the feather that will break the back of the proverbial camel it's going to take years to undo-" She stopped, Zachary having raised a hand to interrupt her.

"Yes, it's going to take years." He affirmed blankly.

"But it's a step in the right direction. Don't let doubts coupled with a brilliant imagination rob you of the pleasure of tonight's events. I want you to remember this because there's always that slim chance that we might not make it back from wherever we're headed."

Clarissa grinned. "_Slim?_ I think you've been doing your math wrong fuzz-butt-"

Zachary's eyes suddenly lit up. "And while we're on the topic of death…why exactly _did_ you shoot me on that mission?" Clarissa looked upward briefly as though searching the ceiling for an answer before responding.

"I managed to predict that the blast wave from the soon to be incoming shells directed at that wall would be strong enough to kill you. There wasn't enough time to yell and as long as a minimal surface area of your body was exposed to the explosion I assumed you'd survive."

"And so the only way was to have me horizontal, so to speak."

"Yes. It's always so much more fun horizontal anyway, isn't it?" she said, impishly sticking her tongue out at him before blushing at her uncharacteristically off color remark.

"A lewd joke, I think we'll make a proper fox out of you yet." He quipped.

"Did_ anyone_ in your family teach you the rules of social edict? Don't point out the pretty vixen's double entendres cause it's a _huge_ turn off."

Zachary's expression fell in spite of the humor of the remark. "The only thing my family taught me involving etiquette was interwoven with military doctrine. And you can guess how well that went."

"So I assume you have issues of some sort with them?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes." He took a long draught of his wine before beginning, as if to steel himself before some great effort.

"My family has an extremely strong military tradition involving the Nubian Galactic Navy going back at least a century. They've always prided themselves on excellence on the battlefield, and when I came along it was rather obvious that I was the odd one out. I mean, hell I was young and headstrong and I didn't know what to do but they didn't give me anything else. They never considered that I might have an aptitude for literature or music or science. Their manner of raising their children was to toughen them up, 'strengthen' them until they were ready for service.

When they looked at me, they saw an officer's uniform, and they saw it so clearly that it blinded them to my true potential. But…when I was young I didn't have nearly the amount of balls that I do now and I let them talk me into it. Let them make me _believe_ that a tour of duty would toughen me up and put some steel under my skin. Sure I spun my wheels and dug in my hooks and resisted them. But since I didn't know what I wanted to do with myself I eventually bought their trollop.

Before I knew it I was in basic, then once that was through we were dropped right into full on open engagements. Whatever innocence I had at that point was leeched out by the time I became a merc."

In the depths of Clarissa's eyes he saw a sort of pity mixed with an almost maternal warmth that he hadn't thought she possessed. She looked almost protective of him somehow.

"So…what about your bloodline? Do you have any skeletons in your closet?"

"Everything truly negative regarding my family surfaced after I got on that coalition owned ship and was transported to Ghi. I was in that complex for three years and I always wondered why in the hell they never came for me, busted me out. I mean, my mother was an award winning biologist with power and influence in some of the lower echelons of the Inner Rim government you'd think that she'd have been the first one getting the law to find me and everyone else and bust us out.

And I do believe that on her own she would have. But the rest of the bloodline silenced her during the first year. They convinced her that I was damaged goods, and besides the Coalition was threatening to do the same to them, to snap up assets and land and contracts and bleed us dry if she or any of them grew a spine and tried to blow the roof off of the whole affair."

"They wrote you off?" Zachary murmured, incredulous.

"Yes. Collateral damage. Sacrifice one and the rest survive, if you can call living in perpetual fear survival. Allow one girl to get raped and abused for three years straight by all manner of vile anthros and everyone gets to keep their wallets chained to their belts. They didn't think I'd get out. When I did, as soon as I had the Jenny I went back to find my mom. I wanted to know why she'd left me. I was angry, and I wanted someone to blame, I wanted to go to the press as the girl who lived and expose the largest single slave and sex trafficking operation in two universes to the masses.

But she stopped me. Said I couldn't, that they'd come back and hurt the rest of them, the side branches that'd been damn willing to let me rot in that hell. First she pleaded, and then argued. And finally I agreed, but said that I couldn't stand to be around her or any of them if they would willingly raise a wall of silence against me."

She paused and Zachary said nothing, allowing her to look down at the table as the memories flooded her mind/

"So…I walked out. I left the only friend I'd ever really had on leaving the District. My mother. I gave her a communications frequency to dial if there was ever an emergency but there's been nothing."

"Damn. So over the space of four years the Coalition systematically tore your family apart."

Clarissa nodded as air hissed between her teeth in frustration, her forehead braced with her hands. Finally she looked up with a wry grin on her features despite the pain beneath.

"Well, at least we're not _bitter."_

They _both_ laughed.

* * *

**STOP! **

**Want to know why the chapter ends as abruptly as it does? Because the next section delves into that blissful biological subject known as reproduction. This is Zachary and Clarissa's first time making love and because I've been waiting for a year and 11 months to write this scene I went all out and went for eye watering ly explicit sexual intercourse. I will warn you, there is heat, pistoning of hips and all manner of moans and curses from BOTH parties in this section. If you want the full UNCASTRATED version of the chapter send me a PM or EMAIL me at: robojones.1(at) verizon(dot) net and I will be more than happy to share the product of a year and 11 months of anticipation and imagination. And for the rest of you poor sods who wish your souls to remain unfettered, ignore this section and say that 'the pretty foxy lady and the handsome dog-man played twister- a **_**really long game'**_

**P.S: As my second favorite relationship in the story aside from Zenia and Rose I ensured that I'd give as much detail as possible without delving into vulgarity. So i've tried to depict this most primal and sensual of acts with as tactful as pen as possible, and i think i only used the F word twice. READ AND REVIEW OR THE COALITION WILL SIC THE IRS ON YOU.**

**-Jyr**


	43. Li'Sitra

Li'Sitra

They made love many times that night. Bodies came together and parted, sensation crackling across hypersensitive skin as fur lifted and coherent speech became a blissful impossibility. Exhaustion and sleep claimed them simultaneously as she sank atop him, her snout buried in the long guard hairs at his neck.

That morning she awoke briefly to hear a deep rumble vibrating in her ears and through the dim haze of sleep Clarissa looked up into Zachary's eyes and brought her lips up to brush against his in silent greeting. The canine's fur was disheveled and the scent of their lovemaking clung to both their fur but she didn't care. Briefly she nuzzled her snout into his chest and then promptly slipped back into unconsciousness.

Watching her descend slowly into the ether, Zachary's arms tightened around her shoulders briefly as his eyes slid down the profile of the fox whose body was curled against him. She had given him her body. He, in turn gave her a sense of comfort and safety that she had gone for far too long without.

This was a gift without tangible form, one which she could cherish when they were apart. Flickering warmpth. The feel of her body against his. The gentle rumblings of a protective and contented canine male. What he gave to her, she would reciprocate.

More hours passed in this manner until eventually Clarissa roused and wordlessly gestured toward the suite's bathroom, at which he rose and slid his hands under her body, gathering her into his arms as he ferried the drowsy vixen into the bathroom. In the subsequent spray of hot water he bathed her, fingers threading through her fur, massaging the muscles of her torso and lower back as she clung to him, his teeth gently nibbling at her neck.

Slowly Clarissa began easing him backward till they were braced against the tiled walls of the shower, steam billowing up from round them and then reached up, gently guiding his head toward hers. Her hands slid over the drenched fur of his chest and she felt him quiver slightly as her hand traveled below to gently stroke and then encase his member. The love they made was agonizingly slow, but still as passionate as it had been the night before. Clarissa descended to her knees as she fellated him in a manner that caused his hands to clench the support banisters, legs threatening to give.

He'd never known that she knew such things, had thought her afraid of them…but the skill with which she teased him showed that the trust she bestowed upon him ran very deep. The fox's eyes smoldered in the clouds of steam as she threaded her tounge around his shaft, occasionally grasping his hips and guiding him into her mouth as far as she could allow, the musculature of her throat parting for him like the biblical Red sea. She drew him out with similarly exquisite slowness, a slight smile on her features as he twitched with the need to enter her.

The vixen faced the porcelain tile and braced her hands flat against it, widening her stance slightly, her lower back dipping to accentuate the swell of her backside. His staying time was longer than she'd expected given her previous minstrations and he used it well, heeding her requests for faster and deeper strokes until her teeth were bared, jaws parted as she sucked in air. Unlike the previous night's events however, the single pulse of pleasure which was shared between them, his hips pressed to hers, claws digging into her fur for purchase as he throbbed within her confines, a curse sliding roughly from his lips, this was enough.

The rest of thier morning was an exquisite blur of food and scent and touch. When the vixen later arrived at the entrance to Shiva's suite the bat felt remorse surge through her. She could see the change in her stride, in her scent, a curious blend of her own and that of her lover. Clarissa was _happy_ for the first time in years, and the bat's last wish was to throw a pall over what had transpired. But it had to be done.

"I…really don't know how to thank you Shiva. What you did last night…I really needed it. Don't know when I've been treated like that by a male in memory…"

"He's good to you."

Shiva finished for her, mirroring the fox's smile with one of her own before wryly adding, "_Very_ good, it seems. Exactly how many times did the two of you…_conjugate_ last night?"

"How did you…?"

"_And _ this morning?"

The bat's grin was smug as she said, "It's written all over your face because you're now blushing, your tail twitched when I mentioned it, and I've got extremely good hearing. Not to mention your scent." She said, playfully widening her nostrils.

"Oh God…please tell me we weren't obvious."

"You weren't, besides it was _very _entertaining-did you know your voice goes up an octave when you climax…or is that Zachary?"

Clarissa gave her a playful shove as she strode past and entered the room, stretching out on the bed. Shiva studied her for a moment, the amusement fading from her features.

"That's actually why I called you in here."

"You're _that _interested in our sex lives? Hearing wasn't enough, or were you going to give me some pointers." The comment didn't exactly have the desired effect, a half hearted grin briefly springing onto Shiva's face before fading.

"Clarissa there's something I need to tell you before we depart. I couldn't have brought myself to leave the planet without divulging this information, as much as it may influence your decision to come, given that your life is at stake."

"Shiva what are you talking about-?" Clarissa fell silent as the bat raised a hand for quiet, her ears flicking backward as pain flickered across her features.

"In the depths of the Tanzini Shipyards Sinara told you that the training exercises would be perfectly safe. I seconded her. It pains me to confess that we were only partially telling the truth." By this time she'd backed against the far wall, sliding down it's surface to rest her hips on the floor, refusing to meet Clarissa's gaze.

"You lied to me?" The fox's voice was calm, but Shiva could hear the emotion building behind the words. Yet for all her brilliance she found herself struggling for words.

"No…I."

"Then _what_ are you saying?!" Clarissa snapped, tail twitching in agitation as her fur lifted in anger. Shiva flinched reflexively at the shout, attempting to gather her thoughts as the tension wound tightly in her stomach. She knew what was going through the fox's mind at that very moment, fear, betrayal, confusion. All of which were morphing into a single emotion- anger.

She hated herself for having taken part in the deception, necessary though it may have been, hated herself for ruining the good mood that had been radiating from Clarissa mere moments before. And was desperately afraid of the damage the brief falsehood might do to their friendship.

"The Vampyrum High Council requested that certain pieces of information be withheld from you…distorted because it was not deemed necessary that you know them. Sinara gave me a directive forbidding me from telling you this, and the same directive was given to her by the council…thus I am disobeying a direct order from the highest command structure of my home civilization."

"_SHIVA!" _

The bat's ears wilted even further and her eyes were closed now as she forced herself to speak.

"Training you is, in a nutshell a potentially dangerous undertaking. For all our knowledge and technological prowess we are taking a great risk in attempting to decide a course of action regarding your abilities. In short we have been guessing since the beginning. We can assume certain things about you and how your abilities work based on your past actions, but we cannot be sure. Your powers are, potentially like fire. If controlled, they can be used for many things, but when let wild…cities can burn."

"So you're saying that if I do this, I could _die!?"_

"Potentially the entire population of our home system could be catastrophically affected._" _

Clarissa pressed a hand to her forehead as Shiva forged ahead, an imploring note in her voice.

"To successfully train you we will have to isolate and directly control the emotional triggers linked to the activation of your powers. There is a chance that we might push you too far, and we have countermeasures which might alleviate damage to yourself and others…but we can never be sure."

"What if I refuse?" Clarissa's gaze was hard as she stared at her teammate.

"Then you will go on for years, until one day, something happens to unbalance your mind. Perhaps I am killed. Zachary is injured. You will feel anger. And if your powers activate because of it, the lives of whomever you are near along with your own might be in danger."

Clarissa immediately vaulted from the bed. "Zachary needs to hear this."

"_No, _he can't. This needs to stay between us."

"You're telling me something that puts all of our lives at stake and then _muzzling me?_"

"Clarissa, he cares for you, he would refuse immediately, and you would not be trained. If you were to come with me and let us try to help you, if something were to occur, the sheer distance might mitigate any effects. The Council admittedly is doing it because of what you carry and the threat you pose, but I'm doing it because I care for you like a..like a sister. I will do everything in my power to ensure that you leave our realm as you left it, but stronger."

The fox stood, fingers poised at the door handle, considering.

"I'm asking you to trust me. Please."

Clarissa looked back and saw the bat looking up at her, eyes fiery with determination. Her hand dropped.

"Why didn't you tell me beforehand?"

"There was fear that you would refuse. Any logical being would do so when the risks involved are as dire as the ones you face."

"Sometimes the logical choices aren't always the _right_ ones." Clarissa said, stepping across the divide and offering out a hand to the vampire bat and lifting Shiva to her feet.

As the fox left the room the bat said, "I've set the departure time for around midnight. I…wanted to give you as much time with him as possible before you left."

"Thanks…I guess I owe you a cookie."

Shiva smiled sadly. "Yeah, I guess you do."

…………………………

The Pydorian sky was filled with stars as Sinara's late-model Silver Needle approached the resort's rooftop landing area with the pilot-less Echo Blade in tow. On the rooftop pads Zachary and Clarissa stood next to her bomber's open cockpit with Shiva and Lou a respectful distance from them. The two ships hovered overhead as Shiva and Clarissa prepared to depart.

Clarissa kissed him hard and said, "It's only a month or so. Time will fly by."

"That's thirty days." He said, smiling softly. As she embraced him one last time and then began climbing up the bomber's build in ladder, he swatted the fox lightly on her rear. "Up you go!"

"You cheeky fucker!" She grinned as the Spartan's canopy closed. Zachary turned to Shiva and halted her briefly. "She comes back safe." It wasn't a request.

"I'll stake my life on it. If you have a God you believe in, pray to him or her. This will be…difficult."

"She's strong."

"That she is Zachary."

He could see her through the Transparisteel canopy as she looked down at him and pressed a delicate hand to the convex surface. Up she went, this fox who meant so much to him, whom he'd pledged himself to, the ship ascending slowly at first, and then faster until all four vessels were lost from view.

…………………………………………..

"_Clarissa…we've arrived."_

It was as if someone had turned on a light in her brain. In an instant sleep was dispelled and the vixen found herself looking around the cockpit in bewilderment and wondering how long she'd been out. It was as as she'd begun powering up the Spartan's primary systems that she looked at the clock. Three days. Naturally she had questions.

It turned out that Shiva had quite literally sung her to sleep, or more correctly a trancelike coma that would slow her metabolic processes down to a crawl during the journey. Clarissa hadn't remembered actually falling asleep, just remembered something deep and sonorous and relaxing reverberating in her ears. A looped, timed recording and the three linked Flared-Tessellation Drives had done the rest, condensing a journey that would have taken a decade into three days.

"I'm here. Reading you loud and…" Her voice trailed off as she finally depolarized the canopy and took in the majestic sight before her. "Oh my God. Shiva are you seeing this?"

Pride, pure and unadulterated flowed through the line as the reply came through.

"Yes, yes I am. I present to you, the planet Li'Sitra birthplace and stronghold of the Vampyrum Spectrum."

Clarissa's first thought upon seeing the incoming sunlight striking the dust clouds in the planet's higher orbit had been of motes of gold or silver dust, blindingly bright in her eyes. As the group made their approach, strange spiked crystalline spheres oriented to bring their barbed points to bear on the incoming vessels.

"Those spheres are Ionic flux turrets, effective range of about 2000 miles. They serve as the Early Warning system for our defense grid. Be thankful that your vessel has been temporarily earmarked as neutral, you'd only be able to outmaneuver them for about fifteen seconds before your shields went down."

"I'm so relieved." Clarissa groused to Sinara as the group prepared to match rotational speed with the asteroid field locked above the planet. The fox's fingers flickered over the controls as she brought her shields and proximity alert system up to full bringing her weapons systems online just in case she might have needed to blast anything large and impossibly solid coming their way.

Passing through, they found that the asteroidal layer was separated into two distinct strata, with smaller chunks floating in dense dust clouds several hundred feet below the many huge behemoths that floated above them. All four ships briefly pulsed their engines and within five or so minutes they were entering the planet's atmosphere. The near complete absence of light was something of a shock and as she engaged the ship's night vision enhancement the planet's surface sprang into stark relief. Clarissa's sensors detected three massive bodies of water on the planet's surface, possibly oceans along with what looked like compactly built cities and smaller habitations surrounding them to the west, all of it beneath an immense and visible energy barrier.

And that was when she felt a prickle dance along the back of her neck, glanced at the tactical scanners and noticed the seven needle like ships which had shifted from a low skimming flight along a valley to the southeast to a sudden and rather alarming beeline directly for their formation.

"Shiva…what are those ships doing?"

"That's not an escort formation, speed's too high and they're running an aggressive sonic emission pattern…."

_Not an escort formation. _ She echoed mentally as she gritted her teeth, cranking up the dorsal scanners to their highest sensitivity in the EM and sonic bands. Sure enough, seven of them pulling up from the valley below, virtually invisible to the bomber's standard sensor settings through some sort of complex active camouflaged that adapted with a frightening speed to the alien landscape beneath it, allowing the star fighters energy signatures to blend in with the strange emissions spiraling outward from the planet's core. She watched as the formation changed, splitting now so that half swept beneath her as the other ships gathered speed, climbing straight up.

_Something's wrong. _

"_BREAK FORMATION, I SAY AGAIN, BREAK!"_

Shiva had only needed to say it once before the cockpit 's view slewed crazily left and then down as she dove toward the formation angling beneath her ship sinking energy into her foreword shields as bolts of red energy seared past the ship's rear. Over the line she heard snatches of conversation, garbled bits of words, both Shiva and Sinara snarling into their ship's communication arrays in an incomprehensible language that seemed just beyond the edges of the fox's hearing.

The formation split up a millisecond before she plowed through their grouping, feeling a deafening rattle from the left side as proximity alarms screamed in her ear. It felt as if she'd dinged the ship against a cliff face. Praying that she'd collided with shields and not another vessel she leveled out for a moment before firing selenium flares from the rear launchers in a vain hope that she could capitalize on their reliance on darkness in order to gain some breathing room. Behind her a torrent of light split the sky as she climbed in a slow loop, panting from exertion. Two of the ships still held a slightly wary course and arced after her.

She didn't know how long she could keep this up. Dodging and ducking their pursuit. They'd fired once, and she knew that if she didn't get information soon she'd have to fire back or end up dead. The vixen disengaged the safties on the weapon systems and began programming a manual coordinate missile lock on the nearest vessel since the scanners seemed next to useless.

"If someone doesn't talk to me soon I'm going to start shooting." She muttered through

_One…_

She felt her stomach knot as she snapped the bomber into an Immleman-reverse, corkscrewing over her own flight path and staring the oncoming craft down.

_Two._

Was this how it was going to end? Spiraling down in flames over a planet that wasn't even on the map? Or worse, escaping and having to spend a decade long journey attempting to return home.

Her finger was hovering over the firing button when Sinara's impossibly calm voice filtered over the communications network.

"_They're instructing us to land. Subplot seven on the outskirts of the capitol city. They'll guide us in."_

The next few minutes of flight were impossibly tense as she was walled in on all sides by the mysterious ships. She hardly noticed the cityscapes she soared over, only registering black stone, serpentine streets and scattered lights, along with a briefly painful jolt along the control column when she passed the energy shield at the city's border. Clarissa remained hovering long enough to watch the other ships landing around her, the three friendly vessels invisible amongst the other virtually identical craft. Clarissa's canopy had hardly finished retracting before she vaulted over the side, her assault rifle slung over her back which she quickly brought up to bear on the only passageway leading from the landing area.

She'd barely looked up at the creak of leathery wings from above before a crushing weight slammed into her, knocking her to the ground. The bat was wearing some sort of a dark colored flight suit with minimal armor.

Clarissa smelled bared teeth and a hand bearing oddly humming weapon of some sort were inches from her face as the bat, a pilot presumably crouched above her. Clarissa's jaws were parted and flashing upward as she attempted to throw him off her, but strong hands pinned her to the metal beneath. The stink of fear rose hot in her nostrils was hot in her nose as the tramp of running feet thundered toward them.

Suddenly she heard Shiva and Sinara's fragmented voices speaking rapidly as they came toward her, anger evident in the tones of both as they conferred with the small group of guards briefly, then with the pilot pinning her to the ground. The weight eased slightly and she saw the head above her cock to one side in surprise before the bat retreated and stepped back.

Shiva stepped forward and helped Clarissa to her feet, anger distorting her features as the fox steadied herself. There was a sudden shout of surprise and three of the soldiers aimed their staffs at Clarissa in one swift movement, beads of energy glowing at their tips. Shiva's reply was immediate, wings flaring for emphasis as she snapped out a warning in the barely audible language ending with a hiss. Clarissa suddenly felt a twitch in her left hand and looked down. Sparks of blue energy curled about her fingertips.

They were afraid of it.

She flicked her wrist and the charge dissipated as she dropped the rifle, kicking it a distance with her foot to show that she was unarmed. In her ear Shiva murmered,

"_I apologize Clarissa there was a misunderstanding regarding the orbital sensor grid and your ship's weaponry systems. On behalf of the Vampyrum Defensive Force I wish to offer an apology for what just happened. "_

Here Shiva shot a sentence in her strange language at the assembled guards who shifted into formation and ducked their heads in an approximation of an apology. The group dispersed, muttering to each other in their strange language as the fighters that had escorted them in lifted off and rocketed out of view.

Out of the darkness, Sinara's voice was a gentle murmur. "We began wrong. A show of force was not what we intended. Perhaps we might show you to our residences and after rest we can give you a tour of the city and introduce you to those who have been given the task of training you."

Clarissa felt hands gently encase her upper arm, tugging forward as she allowed the pair to lead her into the blackness beyond.


	44. The Dark Abyss

A/N: Alright some news. I'm going to be starting college in about a week. That's right people my first year in the world of the academic big dogs. Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta Georigia. Thus my story updates may be even more sporadic. I have NO INTENTIONS of alllowing this story to die or fall by the wayside, not for an instant, so it will be worked on, but progress may be slower than normal. This section was fun to write and serves as a filler, as I needed to eat up a chunk of time, two three days, for which to have Clarissa get some of the preliminary stuff out of the way. I'm sorry if it's not what you were expectng. But either way wish me luck.

Happy new year.

The Dark Abyss

_It nearly drove me mad. Having to stand there, staring into his eyes. _

_I knew in that instant of looking into his soul that everything Zenia had conveyed in that brief exchange weeks ago was true. _

_He __had__ touched her, lain his hands upon her body, fornicated with her perhaps. _

_No…he had. I could see it in his eyes, those dark orbs with which he flaunted his power over her, and indirectly over me. Daring me to act, to strike, to kill._

_In those moments I knew rage._

_I knew fury. _

_And still I stood. Staring into the eyes of a rodent who had molested my lover for years behind my back. Impotent. Unable to act. _

_Somehow I mastered the demons clawing at my throat. And spoke to him. _

_That was the second most difficult thing I've done in my life. _

_-Rose_

……………………..

_Inhale…_

"Sir, I am one of Zenia's business associates, having maintained a profitable professional relationship for a number of years."

"You assisted in field work as well?"

_Nod…follow up with vocal confirmation. Ignore the eyes. _

_Exhale…_

"On a number of occasions yes. These were infrequent, but allowed for the viewing of the more menial tasks involving the general population of clients and officials that the Coalition interacts with on a regular basis."

_A succinct phrase. Surprisingly coherent considering that you want to-_

"Was this a pleasurable affair as well?"

_I hate him. I really…__**hate…**_

"Sir? I do not understand your question. Clarification perhaps?"

_I know exactly what he means. What he wants me to say. That smiling rat-bastard. _

"Did your relationship ever extend beyond professional contact and into the more intoxicating physical phase?"

"_Perhaps our respective definitions of the term 'pleasure' differ in some way sir. You seek nothing but joyless fornication, the fulfillment of your rampant male urges which you gain through your influence over those beneath you. Conversely I seek a relationship that is grounded in the emotional, spiritual and physical realms."_

Rose might have wondered exactly where such a scathingly well crafted insult had come from if she hadn't been involved in the task of pinning the rat to the chair with her eyes. Her gaze tended to have that effect on people, she found. Even a neutral glance or brief examining pause caused others to break eye contact with her as soon as it was proper.

Rose simply saw it as an example of her power. She was the walking understatement, the dark shadow unnoticed in a partially lit room. Rarely speaking, rarely acting, and all the more dangerous because no one knew what she was _capable _of. And if anyone, even Zenia knew what she did to subsist when not on the Coalition's docket they would realize that the answer was _a lot._ So she stared at him, allowing her eyes to express what her lips and body could not.

_Which is more dangerous Valmont? A visible threat or a potential one? Be afraid rodent, be very afraid._

Valmont was indignant. Stunned mostly, but indignant, flabbergasted that someone would actually have the gall to lob a thinly veiled insult at him. He didn't voice it, instead going on to snap a question as to Zenia's current location. Rose of course told him that she couldn't divulge that information, the brief upturn of her mouth a vindictive one as she stared at him. But when he gave her permission to leave the room Rose found herself unable to move. Her next words sounded hesitant even to her. She heard the emotion in her voice, and clenched her fists as she spoke.

"I would like to make a request…Sir."

Raised eyebrows. A tilt of the head.

"I would…appreciate it if you ceased your advances toward Zenia. Sir."

"That sounds like an order. Are you ordering me not to intereact with a member of the organization I have a majority stake in. What if I refuse?"

He was smiling at her.

"You don't want to know what I would do to you."

She would later reflect that perhaps Valmont had been in power for so long that he had forgotten what it was to _fear_. Perhaps he had never been challenged. Or perhaps he had simply never looked into a pair of eyes and seen an emotion that went _beyond_ anger and into the yawning abyss.

"Who _are _you?"

She answered truthfully, courteous as always. "I am nothing. Nothing but a messenger. One that you might pray not to see again."

And then she left, as there was nothing more to be said.

3

Page 3 of 3 Created By: Alexander Cole


	45. Freefall

_Wow...it's been four months. I am truly, so sorry, but for the longest time i was suffering from the worst case of writers block i've hit since beginning the story. I've also just started college, so there's been that to contend with. I got bogged down with the Vampyrum Homeworld. There is and was so much i wanted to include, new technologies, new cultures...but what you see in the chapter labled Li'sitra is what you'll get for now until I revamp the entire thing once this draft is done. By the middle of next year I should be done, and then I'll begin compiling information for the rewrite. But realize that I've done this, all of it for you. This book holds a lot of meaning for me, and i hope that through it's publication I can create inroads for writers of anthropomorphic fiction. So if in five or more years you see Angel on a billboard somewhere...know that it started here. _

_-Alex_

_Freefall_

_There's a moment when you take that first jump…and time just hangs there. It's right before gravity takes hold and you're suspended, held in place by God. And then you start falling…and you can feel the wind and the speed. _

_I wasn't afraid. _

_Even with the knowledge that I could have been making the greatest fuckup of my life…from the second I opened the cockpit, I lost my fear. _

_I was in control._

-Clarissa

Captain Tijovani of the Meridian-Series cruiser _Delta-Vee _began the Razor Brigade's attack on the Tanzini Shipyard with the push of a button. Of course, they weren't in orbit when the file was launched, and he simply was giving an order to a subordinate on the bridge of the vessel, but he liked to think that he still was capable of getting his hands dirty if he needed to.

At that stage, the ship was still at warp, as was it's sister vessel the _Firelance_ and the contingent of escorting fighters, bombers and dropships following in it's wake. The feline allowed a sigh of relief to hiss from betwixt his nostrils before glancing at the ETA gauge displaying thirty minutes as it ticked away on the large amber HUD array etched into the viewing windows. He had to smile, and even ticked down the seconds until the little electronic beat would open it's jaws and set the stage for the biggest ship heist in history.

At twenty nine minutes the Tanzini shipyard computer core began purging the facility's atmospheric regulation systems as it did monthly, and proceeded to draw back the 'iron curtains' on each of the eight mile and a half wide portals that admitted access to the complex below. Blowers mounted within the shafts began howling, some drawing air up from the depths, others sucking it in, until oxygen levels reached normal.

It was when the command was given to close the doors, that the virus struck, and nothing happened. The doors constituted the facilitys secondary defense against attack, as did the seventeen inch thick metal irisis mounted in the middle of the shafts for just such an occurance, and those also remained open.

At seventeen minutes, the techies had rudely been called from their beds and were just preparing to scratch their heads at the bloody _strangeness_ of the door controls freezing in the open position when the aboveground communications grid and scanner system that the virus had used as a front door sealed itself shut along almost all channels. At around the same time fire control to the seventeen anti air batteries was neatly lopped off from the server array belowground and transferred to the bridge of the _Delta Vee _ and her sister. Tijovani told them to retract the guns.

They could ponder the strangeness of that while the advance scouts fired their airburst leech bombs and took out the atmospheric shields.

By this time, the alarms had started to scream as in short order the entire installation was rendered blind, deaf, but not comepletely dumb to the fact that _something_ wanted to get under it's skirt.

And seventeen minutes later, the battlegroup descended, and the slaughter began. Dropships landed by the dozens, disgorging soldiers by the twenties and thirties, many of them having the audacity to descend down the very shafts that had been designed to keep them out. When the first fighters were scrambled from the aboveground hangars that hadn't been shortly obliterated, the AA batteries came alive-and began smartly downing their own vessels.

_Ironic that Pydorian Pansy Protection gave us the access codes in the first place. They think it's an eyesore just because they don't get naught but the dregs of the revenue…idiots. _

Tjovani smiled quietly as the battle reached the forty five minute mark. Virtually no losses in terms of fighters, scores of mercs, but those could be _replaced_ easily. He knew that someone had managed to get a distress call in edgewise and that contract services from out of the system were probably on route. But the way things were going, Razor forces could handle both at once and barely shift above walking speed.

His communication officer piped up.

"Tijovani sir, I've got three ships that just warped in. Two Vampyrun Silver Needles and one of those old Spartan series bombers. Embedded IFF tags register em as neutral."

"Set the dorsal cannon arrays to light em up if they try something stupid, along with a couple of fighters that aren't busy cooling their heels, but keep your focus on the battle below. Once we give the signal, it'll be only a few hours before the salvagers come in, and we make the biggest haul of our career."

The officer at the scanner station grinned back and with the press of a button, relegated the task of monitoring the three ships to the _Delta Vee's _computer.

Perhaps a few of the pilots headed toward them saw the two Needles suddenly peel up and away from the Spartan as it dipped into a nosedive. Perhaps they even saw the flight of missiles charge forth from the ship's launchers as the cockpit opened and a white furred vixen tumbled forth, her jetpack flaring brightly in the darkness as she sped toward them.

But the only thing brighter than the jetpack, and the twinkle of blaster bolts, was the blue flash that consumed everything in the seconds before time for time for the entire enemy battlegroup _stopped._

…………

The ships hung in the air like dolls. Missiles were suspended in mid flight, plasma and laser bolts frozen and glittering like red and green jewels in the crisp desert air. And she hung in midair as well, nose oriented earthward, suspended in freefall, her fingers spread wide as rivulets of blue energy consumed her body.

Thoughts flickered, unbidden through her mind. Thoughts of the inevitable outcome.

_They'll steal every ship, sell them to the highest bidder. Liquidate every breathing thing. Line em' up against walls, shoot them. _

_Gods have the power to stop things like this. I have the power to stop this. So…for this moment I am God. _

_He'll die if I don't stop them. _

_I can't let them do that._

_I can't fail Zachary again._

Clarissa breathed in deeply, closed her eyes, and with a single thought tore every ship within reach of her mind asunder, their wreckage traveling with her as she spiraled toward the sands.

She thrust out her hands at around 3,000 feet.

Began firing plumes of energy from her palms at 2,150 in a futile attempt to stop her fall.

She plowed into the frigid Pydorian sands at over a hundred and fifty miles and hour.

Her last thoughts were of him.

…………………..

Only they _weren't_ her last.

The ticking sound of cooling, flash melted sand waved cheerily at her ears, and she twitched her entire body to find that she was alive. But she could do nothing else. The fatigue which gripped her was so complete, that she couldent even lift her arm to call her ship over to where she'd hit.

Of course, the moment gloved hands hooked under her armpits she closed her eyes and wished she were dead. These hands were foreign. The pressure exerted was harsh, the small, indefinable intricacies of the grip somehow _wrong._ It wasn't _him_.She _knew_ Zachary's touch. Knew the roughened, pleasant texture of his palms, the measured hills of knuckles, the ramrod straight lines of tendons beneath the slightly coarse lay of his fur.

She also knew that his hands were the hands of a killer, as were hers. Hands that if they so chose to wrap around her throat could squeeze the life from her body with ease. But there was a difference. His hands loved her, as did his body, his heart. He could never hurt her.

These hands held no such emotion. And as theyproceeded to haul her to her feet she didn't want to open her eyes.

A blow cracked across the left side of her snout and she cursed low in her throat at the weakness which now held her near immobile like a vise.

"Well, lookie here boys, and I thought we'd caught us a flyin star."

Clarissa opened her eyes and saw three faces arrayed in front of her, anthros, mercs like her but with Razor Brigade insignia imblazoned on their uniforms.

The enemy.

The weasel who'd addressed her, and who'd doubtless seen fit to belt her across the face grinned savagely down at her, and she defiantly bared her teeth in return. His grin vanished.

"Two Aragati Class cruisers. Forty three RazorBlade fighters and twelve Alavanse class bombers, as well as twenty of our thirty dropships_. _I'm killed over a thousand Razor mercs in three seconds. Two of my brothers were involved in that attack, did you know that? Now the wreckage of their ships is scattered over seven kilometers."

His voice lightened.

"Some of my friends here, pilots like I am, _they_ wanted to shoot you on the spot, but the real question that I, and indeed the acting captain of the brigade would eventually like to know is _how_ did you do it."

She stared at him.

"I gated in, opened my cockpit and jumped, using my jetpack to course correct. I waited until I was near the middle of the formation and poof-they're dead."

He hit her again, harder.

"_You asked, I told you the truth. What more do you want?" _She snarled, struggling in the arms of the anthro restraining her and receiving a vicious jab in the ribs with a rifle butt for her troubles.

The weasel was silent for a moment and then cast his gaze upward briefly. "Well, given that you're about as useless as a triggerless gun…nothing much. But, I can think of one last thing…"

Suddenly his hand was locked painfully around her lower jaw as he forced her to stare at him.

"Seven miles distant…crater should hide the sounds. Boys, what you lot say we run a train on this bitch and then bleed her dry? Then we'll see how defiant she is."

Her blood ran cold. And unconsciously, she whimpered his name.

"_Zachary?_ So that's the name you scream out every night? Well trust me, by the time we're done with you, those lips'll be singing a different tune."

"Or several."

They laughed. And in the darkness she was wrestled to the ground. They pinned her legs, allowing a single shriek of panic and rage before hands were at the collar of her flightsuit, her head forced back, muzzle clamped shut to prevent her teeth from flashing out. Zippers were pulled down with with deft strokes, and she felt hands running up and down her torso and over her breasts, some with gloves and some without.

They progressed lower, and she felt them brush against her lower stomach, nearing but not quite touching her center.

The weasel's teeth were at her neck, a chatter of cruel laughter winding out as his breath seared her throat.

She wished she'd never cut her speed.

She wanted to scream.

_Kill me… _

And then the whining shriek fighters and lower pitched thrum of drop ship engines vibrated overhead. In seconds boots could be heard slamming to the ground and the first of the mercenaries was hauled bodily off of her, accompanied by a snarl of rage that could only be Zachary's voice. The shriek of blaster bolts cut through the maelstrom of sound as all of them leapt to their feet and began scrambling for the crater's lip ten feet above them.

None of them made it. Blaster bolts found three of them, and then friendly hands were lifting to her feet and the scent of Shiva and Sinara's flight suits filled her nostrils. She saw the weasel facing Zachary, fists raised and teeth bared in a snarl. Her mate's expression was fury incarnate, and as she stared at them, she felt a spark ignite in her chest.

With some effort she loosed herself from their grasp and staggered toward the pair, barely able to control the burning rage deep within the pit of her stomach. A fierce joy leapt within her as she felt the glow return to her eyes, and her left hand twitched as sparks danced around her fingers.

"I'll take him."

Zachary stepped away, blaster raised as the other two mercs closed in, the ships arrayed above them circling hungrily, floodlamps trained on the spectacle below.

Clarissa breathed in and fixed her gaze on the anthro in front of her who had begun backing up after catching sight of her glowing eyes. Incredibly she smiled, and this caused him to almost trip as he hopped back a step.

"What the _fuck_ are you?!" he growled, his gaze flickering this way and that, searching for a way out.

The growl that had been chained within her throat from the moment they'd held her down leapt forth, at once saying everything and nothing. Slowly she drew back her arm cocking her fist as the energy surged through her once more.

"Tell your brothers that this is what happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object."

In a single movement she stepped foreward and sent her flickering fist rocketing into the side of the weasel's head with such force that his skull cratered, leaving a corpse where seconds before a living breathing anthro stood

Clarissa raised her clenched fist and stared at it. Blood and brain matter dripped from her knuckles as she opened her trembling hand and rotated her wrist in shock as the weakness returned, more powerful than before.

It was over.

Footsteps. Then- her voice cracked.

"_Oh…God…They…they almost…killed-" _

"_It's alright…look at me, it's alright."_

He kissed her, and she felt tears begin trailing down her cheeks as she shook in his arms, shrieking:

"_They almost killed you. And I swore when I left here that I… Zachary I'm …not going to let them lay a __**fucking**__ hand on you, understand?!. I'm not going to fail you again."_

The look in her eyes was desperate. Pleading for understanding. He cupped her face in his hands, locking his gaze with hers.

"_You did good Clarissa, you did real good."_

The sun had begun to peek over the horizon, a brilliant pinpoint of golden light just as the four mercenaries boarded the drop ship and sped, escorts in tow, toward the Tanzini Shipyards.

There was more work yet, to be done.


	46. Chapter 46

_Safe Haven_

"_What you must realize is that there are no locked doors, there are no safe havens. There is only the illusion of control, of power, and the unspoken knowledge, that sooner or later, someone will come for us. If we are lucky, we choose our own death. If we are unlucky, our successor will choose it for us._

_-Unknown Coalition Commander, three weeks before disappearance._

"_Wake up."_

Through the green filter of night vision goggles, Achilles watched as the black feline stirred beneath the covers of her bed. Her eyes opened, and she rose up slightly on one elbow, fixing her gaze directly on him, looking past the blaster leveled at her nose.

"Lights, standard level."

In the sudden brightness they stared at each other. One predator facing another. Zenia's blank stare was devoid of emotion, almost detached. Almost as if she'd expected this.

Without being bidden, Zenia raised her hands from beneath the covers and slowly waggled her fingers in the air to show that she was unarmed, before lowering her hands and interlacing her fingers in her lap. There was a pregnant silence, then-

"Who sent you?"

"Valmont." The mongoose allowed himself a slight smile as a flicker of anger rose to the surface before being absorbed.

"Why? There are simpler, far less intrusive ways to contact me. I might be tempted to kill the messenger if I don't like what I hear…"

The voice was quiet, almost distracted.

"Valmont wants knowledge of your activities during the past four weeks. He 'misses your company', so to speak. And he also sees you as a threat. Thus someone was sent to remind you who was in charge. And you can't kill me."

Achilles stepped foreward and brought the muzzle of the weapon up until it touched the tip of her nose. Still shestared at him, but now the gaze seemed colder than previous, the flickering eyes almost maddening in their blank, _accepting_ stare.

The feline cleared her throat primly and then said, with a slight smile-

"If you're trying to scare me with that gun it's not working. I'm not afraid of death. Never have been. Never will be."

Achilles allowed himself a quiet chuckle before he continued:

"Listen carefully feline: Rose will_ die_ slowly and painfully, far apart from you if you refuse this. You are to report to him immediately, and transfer control of this installation to Coalition military overwatch or Rose will be brought to heel in your stead. "

Zenia's jaw dropped in a moment of pure, unmitigated terror. Eyes widened, fur rose and fell. Then:

"He will never bring me to heel. He will never intimidate me. And he will never find Rose, I've made sure of that. So you're going to have to use that blaster of yours and put a round through my skull."

He pulled the trigger without hesitation. Then his train of thought froze. There was no blood, no scent of ionized gas. No flicker of light.

She was still there, staring up at him.

"Of course, killing me is never that easy."

A blur of motion coupled with a sudden crack as his wrist bent at a ninety degree angle. He was so busy reeling in pain that he never felt the hypospray press against his neck. Unconciousness hit him like a pallet of bricks.

…..

The first thing he saw when he awoke was a pair of golden eyes bearing down on him and a shifting mass of dark fur. Achilles eyes were transfixed as they traveled down the slender arm to the pistol she now leveled at his forehead. Finally she said:

" Upon hearing your voiceprint, the room's security system created a localized EMP burst to disable your weapon. One of the few issues with modern handweapons these days. You never were a threat to me."

He could think of nothing to say. The scalpel inches from his nose brooked no witty retort. In the silence he now noticed the pain flickering through his body, and his left wrist drooped downward at an angle that was decidedly _wrong_ as he tried to lift his slowly throbbing arm.

He gagged as bone grated against bone and the pain flared like a supernova behind his eyelids. Briefly he blacked out. Waking served only to bring the golden eyed nightmare back into view.

"I took the liberty of severing the tendons in your feet and wrists while you were unconscious. Now that we're awake maybe we can talk like civilized beings."

He'd never noticed the blue gloves she was wearing. Like a god damned surgeon, and they were stained with blood. _His _ blood.

"You…you're a monster."

"I won't refute that." She said, getting up and dragging him by the hair to the center of the room, his upside down view giving him a perfect shot of her black furred tail fanning out behind her, the rear perkily switching back and forth as she walked. She hadn't even bothered getting dressed.

This was a game to her

The sensation of her nose brushing against his neck as it scented a wildly pulsing vien brought revulsion to the back of his throat. When his eyes met hers again, something ancient and primal leered out at him.

" I can_ smell _the_ fear _on you. "

She whispered as he struggled for breath, teeth bared defiantly.

"You should have never threatened Rose."

Incredibly he started laughing. A half crazed, shrieking cackle, the laugh of something half dead, or near death.

Her hands tightened anew as jaws swing wide, hackles rose, the feline's hair lifting as she roared in fury and choked him into silence.

"A quick death is more than you deserve…" she muttered aloud as she rose and allowed her fingers to briefly dance over the buttons on a wall console. As she peered down at him, a circle of light flickered into being and encircled him, tightening briefly until it was inches from his body.

It was then that the forcefield slammed down around him.

_What the hell..?_

She walked over to him, peering coldly through the energy field as one might stare at a fly behind glass and then said:

"I am going to watch you die here. The field will slowly collapse and you will be crushed until you expire. I will drink wine…and allow myself to savor the spectacle of your death."

He watched numbly as she walked out of view and then came back with a bucket of ice and a wine bottle and glass which she set beside the bed along with a bottle. She sat down and calmly poured herself a measure of wine, preparing her palate with a sip of water.

"Computer, begin modified fire suppression cycle."

Then she adjusted the pillow behind her head and called out as she raised the glass to her lips: "In space, no one can hear you scream."

…

Scarlett Carson: Bridge Level

Location Unknown

_Rose,_

_By this point I've given up on the notion of privacy, explaining why this message is unencrypted. Someone is always watching, someone is always listening, and by this point they can't stop us. I'm just writing to tell you that I love you. _

_Valmont sent a messenger to threaten me last night. In my chambers, a mongoose. He is now dead. I am in no danger, ergo no more than any of us are at this stage. Don't worry about me, I'm fine. I know that you will however, and that is one of the things that I love- you care about me more than I care about myself sometimes. _

_My body hungers for you. My mind is consumed with a thirst which seems likely to drive me mad some days. I woke up without you and felt as though lost. The world seems…different when you're not here. The colors are muted, the food without distinction. I miss your scent. I miss waking up with your arms around me…_

_I could go on for ages like this but…there is no point in such things. I pray that you stay safe and return to me of sound body and mind. _

_With inexpressable love_

_-Zenia Ortegra._

Rose remained calm, as she read the missive. She'd done as Zenia had asked, now it was simply up to the vixen to place the disc she'd given her in her ship's computer, and the silent virus within the data would do the rest. For Clarissa there would be nowhere to run- at least from her and Zenia's eyes.

The lateness of the hour bore down upon her, and soon the rabbit left the vessels miniature bridge, shifting the message to a datapad as she walked, lights winking out as she reached her chambers.

It was only in her quarters, in the darkness, that she traced the feline's signature upon the screen and allowed herself to weep.

…

_She's willing to die for you_.

The thought honestly _scared _ him. Not even the fact that she'd put her life on the line per say, but that she saw something in him that could be worth such a sacrafice. Opening his eyes, Zachary looked down and to his left, and reexamining the face of the vixen slumbering next to him.

Dammit if she wasn't _cute_ when she slept.

Slowly Clarissa's body shifted in sleep, nose twitching, ears flicking and Zachary was unable to resist the tempataion. Slowly he leaned foreward and pressed a kiss into her cheek, closing his eyes and breathing her fragrent scent deep into his lungs.

She twitched.

Smiled slightly, then yawned, the nose pitching upward to bump him in the chin before her jaws clicked shut. And then he saw blue eyes, sleep blurred and weary, but still the same piercing shade he'd remembered from that first day, staring up at him.

He grinned.

"You've got one hell of a left hook."

Clarissa leaned in, wrapping her arms about his neck before rolling atop him, pressing him into the fabric in an effort to deepen the kiss. Zachary's hands were drawn to her hips as a low, desperate moan rose from her throat. As he felt her moving atop him, teasing him to life, hands buried in the fur of his chest, he could not help but think.

Think that she was avoiding the pain. Avoiding the fear. Burying memories, under a layer of sexual desire far too strong to be natural. But as he slipped inside her and felt the warmth, the pinpricks of her teeth against his throat, he resolved to allow her this brief escape.

_She deserves at least this much. _

Zachary made love to her. Saw her energy, matched it with his own. Made her gasp in delight as his hands squeezed her rear in time with her movements. He remembered pinning her wrists above her head, remembered grinning as his mouth found her nipple and her nails dug into his back.

The vixens lips were at his ear now, her breath hot , fangs fairly dripping with lust. She pleaded for him to take her. In seconds he'd pinned her wrists above her head, driving deep inside her. She clenched around him, entire body drawing tight like a bowstring for a single instant, Zachary's arms encircling her like bands of steel.

He held her.

They slept.

…..

_Communication Level: Secure High Definition Audio/Data Transmission_

_Sender: Opulosa V-93 Mericruiser, Designation "Scarlett Carson"_

"_She's taken the bait. I'm routing the telemetry stream to the Keystone's communication array. In it you will find a revised component list for her vessel along with passive sensor data for the vessel of her lover._

_I'm going to end this. _

_End it before something truly goes wrong."_

_Author's Note: I apologize for the abysmally long period between updates but i've been having issues with getting back into school, and coupled with writers block, lets say things havent been pretty. Hopefully you'll recieve a piece following this one soon enough, although it might not exactly be what you're expecting to see at this stage in the plot. Specifically i'm skipping a 'crucial' stage in the story so that i can finish the bulk of the plotline and then prepare the entire thing to be stripped and rebuilt. If you want to know why what is happening in the next section is actually happening, PM me and i'll try to explain why I've skipped something that most writers would consider major. If not, prepare to be confused. :P See ya in a few weeks. _

_-JYR_


	47. Chapter 47

Page 5 of 5 Tenth Circle:

Created By: Alexander Cole

Chapter ?

In my Lucia's absence  
Life hangs upon me, and becomes a burden;  
I am ten times undone, while hope, and fear,  
And grief, and rage and love rise up at once,  
And with variety of pain distract me.  
~Joseph Addison

" Simply put, near the end, revenge was all that drove her."

-Zenia Ortegra: A definitive history.

Within the confines of ones brain, time is immaterial. Seconds can last hours, one can spend centuries trapped in dreams, and it is well known that memory, like hindsight is timeless. So when Clarissa felt the searing pain at the back of her head and the press of cool flagstones against her face she knew that something was wrong, and that in the seconds before her captors reached her position, she had to figure out what had happened.

She began.

It had started with her mother. The white vixen had been the first image branded on the young kit's visual cortex upon birth, and it had long been this same image she'd meditated upon during her internment in that hell. There had been times when she'd swung wildly between a black hatred of the being calling itself 'mother' who could so coldly consign her daughter to such a place, and a childlike longing to turn back the clock and be back in her arms again.

Now, what love she held for the fox was buried under a cold, emotionless acceptance. Ever since that encounter years ago, when she'd confronted her mother and asked for answers- and then found the reason for her abandonment both logical and senselessly cruel, she'd consigned Amina's memory, that of the estate, that of all of her bloodline, to that deep dark place in her mind that she hoped one day would become completely inaccessible to her.

The emergency line was something created only out of a biological urge to ensure her mother's safety, one which she found impossible to ignore despite all the hate and confusion riding on that single name. She'd never expected to hear her voice again. Never expected to see her face again.

But then, three days ago:

"_Clarissa…something's wrong. I-" _

After that the line suddenly died, and she remembered a feeling of cold vindication, that finally Amina was the one feeling fear, knowing what it was to be helpless. She didn't reply to the message of course, that would be acknowledging that she still thought of herself as Amina's daughter, that the vixen was _worthy_ of receiving her help.

But we are all still slaves to our instincts whether we wish it or not.

An explanation to Zachary, and then the rest of the team had followed, they'd analyzed the call and discussed it, and within hours they were off at full tilt to come to the aid of a vixen whose daughter wasn't even sure she still loved her.

Avos III's cityscapes hadn't changed, still the same sleepy towns far out from the city, rolling hills, a sprawling complex of college campuses clustered on the southern hemisphere. It was both modern and heartachingly quaint, and as they made their approach low over the earth, Clarissa could see the winding roads where she'd first flown a hover bike as a child. The memories poured like rain then, and tears slipped out before she realized it.

The Malarkey and Screaming Jenny landed in the city center and then they all switched to their smaller ships, Clarissa in the bomber, Shiva in her Silver Needle and Lou in his vessel. It was only when they were in visual range of the place that Clarissa realized- how would she explain _them?_ "Hey mom these are some friends of mine…we just came by to check on you. With fully loaded plasma weapons."

In spite of herself, she laughed.

They'd landed on a grassy hillside just as the sun was setting and got out in full gear, weapons slung at their backs as they trudged toward the house. Clarissa remembered motioning for them to hang back and maintain a rolling defensive perimeter as she began following the winding stone pathway lined with flowers.

"_I want her able to see."_

In any other circumstances she would have begun cursing up a storm the moment unseen hands reached down , grabbed her ponytail and began hauling upwards. But when she raised her eyes everything else faded into the background.

Amina stood before her in a white dress, hands behind her back, chin lifted, a mixture of defiance and longing reflected in the ice blue eyes. Clarissa couldn't help herself.

"_Mom…I…"_

It was then that she saw the barrel of the gun behind her mothers head, and the glowing amber eyes of the feline keeping the weapon trained on her.

"Even after all these years…you came to her aid. I'm touched, really. Such bonds…such devotion is dying out, wouldn't you say, Clarissa?"

"What…what do you mean?"

" The love shared between a mother and child is a. powerful thing. It can't be broken by time or distance…it's similar to the bond between a mated pair…am I right?"

She nodded.

"When Rose and I first met…it was strange. I'd never before experienced feelings for another female, she corrupted me as it were. Something about her interested me, some characteristic, perhaps her smell, maybe her intelligence. I had males lining up to bed me, but I courted her and we fell in love.

It was new to me, and I was afraid. I'd never felt it before. I'd known pleasure, but I'd never known what it was to _hunger_ for another person's touch, to _need_ them like one needs air or water. Even in our work for the Coalition, we bonded. We grew."

The feline smiled slightly, breathing in once as if to steady her nerves, and Clarissa saw a sudden liquidity in the amber gaze. She was crying.

"For seven years we lived and loved, and fought, and planned so that we might be together. We wanted children… a house. Simple things. And then in a matter of minutes you stepped in and ruined everything."

Behind Amina's head, the barrel of the weapon shifted impreceptably.

"I can't stop myself from crying. From cursing the day I sent her away. But now I've found you, your mother, your lover and your teammates and I will pay you in kind for the lessons you've taught me."

The feline suddenly snapped her aim to the left before locking her eyes on the vixen before her.

"This is pain."

She fired, and from behind her left shoulder, Clarissa could hear the leopard's sudden cry of surprise before the body slumped lifeless to the ground.

The vixen could only stare in horror.

"Two of them are still alive. Be thankful I left you something to cherish."

She then pressed the muzzle against the back of Amina's head.

"The second is hatred. As the Coalition took your father and your childhood from you, so will I divest you of your mother. You will hate me for this, and you will forever remember this day. Now, tell your mother you love her."

"_P-please don't- don't do this, I-"_

"I am giving you something I never had. A last moment. Tell her how much you love her, how sorry you are, how it's not your fault, how you will make me pay…_tell her_. Lie to her."

Clarissa's eyes were swimming with tears.

"Mom…I…-"

Zenia fired. The low velocity plasma caused the exit wound to explode in a fine aerosol of blood, bone and brain that wafted over Clarissa like a fine mist. Her jaw fell slack, eyes closing as she hung her head.

" The third lesson. Life is short. Snuffed out by cruel people with too much power for their own good. You taught me that Clarissa. And now your mother knows it as well."

"_You, you killed…" _

She couldn't finish it.

The feline made a quick hand motion and there was the sound of someone being wrestled to their feet and forced backwards into the gloom.

"The fourth lesson is loss. A bit redundant given that I've just killed your mother- lets just call this a recap shall we? If he means as much to you as Rose did to me, you will come for and claim him. If you don't do it within a reasonable amount of time, he'll die. And then you and I will be even."

Zenia's hand went out to gently caress the vixen's cheek, and the smile broadened slightly as Clarissa flinched at her touch.

"May your tears never stop. May your sobs be long and hard, and may your anger burn hot when you think of me."

She couldn't move. Couldn't speak. Even as the face descended to nuzzle againt her own with sickening tenderness, she remained as immobile as a stone. Zenia's mouth was at her throat in seconds, and she felt a wash of heat, then the prick of fangs. The jaws twitched.

Once.

Twice.

Then she stood and holstered her weapon.

"Fear me."

They left her there. A corpse in front and behind. She couldn't remember exactly when Shiva untied her, only the touch of hands lifting her gently to her feet. A trembling voice murmuring in her ear, handing her weapons and giving her directions.

And within an hour they'd left the place of Clarissa's birth, never to return.

5

Page 5 of 5 Created By: Alexander Cole

_A/N: Please review. Basically I broke one of my own rules and skipped ahead in the timeline. The way i origionally had worked the plot, a series of superfluous actions would have taken place which would have added several unnessecary sections to the overall work. Doing this allows me to 'complete' the story by using it as a springboard for the ending chapters. With those sections completed and a fully fleshed out idea of how the story is to progress, I can probably tear out the floorboards and streamline the story as I've been meaning to do ever since I realized where I went wrong. Thanks for having stayed with me this far. _

-Jyr


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